The Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petković, is on his first two-day official tour to the north of Kosovo. He started the visit in front of the North Mitrovica Hospital.
He was welcomed by the director of the hospital, Dr. Zlatan Elek, along with a larger group of health workers.
„Our message from here from Kosovska Mitrovica is that we want to build a future, peace and harmony, as it is the only way we can survive and stay in our centuries-old space, and that, living in peace with our Albanian neighbors, we can build peace and prosperity in the entire Western Balkans. We are deeply convinced that the historical reconciliation of Serbs and Albanians is the key to stability in the region,“ Petkovic said.
After the meeting with Elek, he visited the recently opened PCR laboratory, announcing new types of support in the fight against Covid-19.
The hiring process of new medical staff is underway in Kosovo Serb predominant areas. Job openings for 70 doctors and 200 nurses, as well as for 45 doctors and over 83 nurses subsequently, have been approved. A new staff nurse vacancy (for a total of 38 nurses) has now been announced, Petkovic confirmed.
The director of the North Mitrovica Hospital Center, Dr. Zlatan Elek assessed the current health situation in the Serb-majority areas as „quite complicated and worrying.“ Elek, however, also stressed that the situation is under control. A total of 161 patients are currently hospitalized in the North Mitrovica Hospital Center, 68 of which are COVID-19 patients.
Since the last coronavirus update, one patient died and out of a total of 39 tested samples, 15 patients tested positive for coronavirus in the Kosovo Serb-majority municipalities.
A total of 62 patients have died so far.
There is no need to panic, however. The situation is under control – Elek emphasized.
Although about one hundred health workers are currently infected with the coronavirus, including doctors and technical staff, the hospital center is not understaffed, he added.
According to Elek, health workers in Kosovo Serb communities are especially motivated by satisfactory earnings, which have increased as much as 60% in the past two years.
Elek also revealed that new emergency vehicles would be procured.
„Today’s visit instills additional confidence that Serbia will remain with us and that it is with us,“ Elek said after welcoming Petkovic, adding that this is also backed up by the fact Petkovic chose the hospital center as the first stop of his first official visit in the capacity of the new head of the Kosovo Office.
On the other hand, Petkovic underlined:
„Indeed, if someone can be called a hero in the 21st century – it would be you. That is why you have my deep respect. The state of Serbia will know to repay you for everything you have done and are doing.“
Petkovic continues to visit institutions in the course of the day.
He also met with the newly elected mayor and leaders of the Srpska lista Milan Radojevic, Goran Rakic and the president of the Provisional Authority of the Municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica, Aleksandar Spirić.
He will meet rector of the University of Pristina in Kosovska Mitrovica, followed by a visit to the seven-member Nedeljković family supported by the municipality and the Office for Kosovo and Metohija.
A visit to the Banjska monastery is planned, as well as a stay in the municipality of Zubin Potok.
The announcement of Petković’s visit to the North of Kosovo comes after the Deputy Mayor of Belgrade, Goran Vesić, and then the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, were banned from entering Kosovo at the end of November, but also the announcements of Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Meljiza Haradinaj Stuble that Vučić and no one else will be able to visit Kosovo until „he apologizes for the genocide and until those responsible for the genocide are tried before an international tribunal.“
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
