Kosovo Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj accused a group of Serbian entrepreneurs from the north of Kosovo and the former Civil Protection of allegedly „attempting to stage a humanitarian catastrophe“ in coordination with official Belgrade. The leader of the Association of Entrepreneurs from the north, Rados Petrovic, whom Haradinaj mentioned by name, refuted these allegations, by underlining he had no connections with any such scenario or even has any knowledge on it. The denial was soon followed by another North Mitrovica resident – Slavisa Stanic.
Ramush Haradinaj claimed today that a group of entrepreneurs from the north, former Civil Protection and official Belgrade have a plan to artificially provoke a humanitarian disaster.
„Empty shops where even the most basic items from Serbia cannot be found are aimed at presenting a difficult situation, the so-called ‘humanitarian disaster’ of the citizens of the north, a plan that is prepared by certain people in the north – which the Government of Kosovo has been notified about,” Haradinaj wrote on his Facebook profile.
In addition to accusing several entrepreneurs from the north – Rados Petrovic, Goran Vlaskovic, Bojan Jasic – Coja, Slavisa Stanic and Radul Stevic – of “being part in organizing this plan,” while referring to sources from Kosovo’s security services, Haradinaj also accused the former Civil Protection, headed by Stevo Pavicevic,of being involved in this plan. Civil Protection members were integrated into the Kosovo system two years ago.
Rados Petrovic: I have nothing to do with this and small business owners complain that they cannot endure the harassment
The leader of the Association of Entrepreneurs from the north and one of the accused, Rados Petrovic told KoSSev that he has nothing to do with what the Kosovo Prime Minister mentioned in his Facebook post as he has been working in construction for the last 15 years. He also recalled the introduction of a 100% customs duty on goods from Serbia and the increasingly frequent tendency of small traders and suppliers from the north of giving up on procuring goods due to “risk and mistreatment by Kosovo tax organs and police.”
If a humanitarian crisis strikes, the Kosovo government will be responsible for it
Petrovic did not exclude the possibility of a humanitarian crisis, on the other side, stressing that the people in the north and the local traders and entrepreneurs would not be responsible for it, but the Kosovo Prime Minister’s decision to introduce the taxes, as well as the increased activities of tax authorities of Kosovo and the police on ensuring that there are no Serbian goods on the racks in the north – he claimed.
„The supplies are being sold and the racks are emptying, that’s right, but it’s because of the taxes and the small traders can no longer endure this battle of finding their way of procuring goods, primarily food and hygiene products from Serbia, as they have so far managed to do in different ways,“ Petrovic concluded.
Another North Mitrovica resident Slavisa Stanic also denied the accusation. In his short written statement to KoSSev, he stated:
“Following the Ramush Haradinaj’s statement on humanitarian disaster, where my name was cited, I wish to declare that I have no single contact or any common ground with the cited persons. I am neither involved in any private business, or any organizing of a humanitarian disaster. It is shameful to be named by Ramush Haradinaj following an unconfirmed allegation”.
In the meantime, TV Most aired a lengthy article “SCANDALOUS: Serbs snitched on Serbs in the north of KiM” listing the names and showing the photographs of the Serbs allegedly accused of “snitching” to Kosovo intelligence authorities as they were “deeply blackmailed and bribed. Across their photographs are printed messages with clear accusations for their alleged misdeeds. This TV channel accuses Kosovo authorities also of aiming to expel Kosovo Serbs from the north of Kosovo, of “repression and terrorizing” against the Serbian people.
Read also: TV Most: Scandalous – Serbs snitched on Serbs in the north of KiM!
The north is supplied with goods from Serbia
The north of Kosovo is inhabited by a majority Serbian population, which is supplied almost exclusively by the products from Serbia. There are no shopping centers and goods are bought in stores, kiosks and smaller shops.
The racks in the north are stocked and the only thing missing for months were the daily and weekly press from Belgrade -despite the fact that the 100% taxes were introduced more than half a year ago and despite the daily protests held in November and December and warnings by Srpska Lista about the upcoming humanitarian disaster in the north.
The Kosovo media has been reporting about the smuggling of goods for months, while the Kosovo police recently launched several actions to combat smuggling and crime. Twenty policemen, mostly members of the Kosovo Border Police and several civilians, were arrested and charged with smuggling, among other charges, in the north at the end of May.
Kosovo’s top officials also announce a fight against crime and high level corruption and promised to take concrete steps. This same government, however, is being accused of corruption in public, bearing in mind that one-third of its ministers and deputy ministers are indicted.
The fight against corruption is being launched after months of insistence by foreign embassies in Pristina, especially the US and UK, that political officials involved in corrupt affairs, abuse of office, and nepotism, should not perform public functions.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
