MR. STANKOVIC: THERE ARE NO TENSIONS, NOR ETHNIC CONFLICTS, BETWEEN THE SERBS AND ALBANIANS

14. September 2018.

Belgrade – Zoran Stankovic, the President of the Coordination Body for the Municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja, said for the “Prva” TV that there were no inter-ethnic conflicts, nor tensions, between the Serbs and Albanians in the territory of those municipalities.

“It is the southern part of the country for the Serbs, the Presevo Valley for the Albanians who live there, and the eastern part of Kosovo for the radical politicians in Pristina. The area of around 1,200 square kilometers is mostly populated by the Albanians. The Serbs, for instance, make up the majority in Medvedja. However, when it comes to the territorial claims of some Kosovo politicians, the ethnic make-up is not crucial. The standpoint of all those who participate in the creation of political life and in policy-making, not only in our country, but also in a broader area, as wll as of the international community, is very clear," Zoran Stankovic said, adding that those municipalities were not and would not be part of the Brussels negotiations.

In a statement given to Prva TV, he stressed that the tensions, which were artificially created, were in the interest of those who thought that they could realize some of their aspitations, which were essentially unrealiazible, byusing strong rhetoric or a media propaganda.

Mr. Stankovic said that the population had no reason to be afraid, because nobody said that that region would belong to anyone, since Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja were and would remain part of the Serbian territory.

"The Serbs and Albanians have a common problem of unemployment. If someone constantly tries to raise tensions or announce some conflicts, does he expect that investors would come and invest in that region. The arrival of investments requires a stable situation, " Mr. Stankovic said.

The President of the Coordination Body pointed out once again that there were no inter-ethnic conflicts in the territory of the three municipalities.

Source: Prva TV and Coordination Body