Disruption of telephone lines in Kosovo must be solved as soon as possible

Belgrade, 24 April 2010 – Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Goran Bogdanovic said today that representatives of Serbia and the international community in Kosovo are in constant communication in order to fix the disruption of telephone lines as soon as possible.

File photo of Goran Bogdanovic
Photo: Tanjug

The Kosovo Regulatory Agency for Telecommunications turned off 14 mobile phone base stations of Telekom Serbia and Telenor yesterday and they have continued doing so today as well.

At the same time, transmitter of the Herc television station from Strpce has been demolished so citizens can no longer watch its programme in the Serbian language.

In a statement to KiM radio from Caglavica, Bogdanovic said that the Serbian authorities contacted EULEX, but they have not been able to provide much assistance.

In the talks with representatives of the international community, Serbian officials are trying to prove that that was an act of vandalism and violation of human rights. The Minister underlined that it is impermissible that in the 21st century people are being deprived without warning of the right to use mobile and fixed phones.

He claimed that the disruption was caused by political reasons and the aim was to make the Serbian community integrate into Kosovo’s society in a forceful way.

Bogdanovic also condemned the stoning of two Serb houses in Kisnica near Gracanica and stoning of tents of Serbian returnees to the village of Zac. That was one more attempt to intimidate Kosovo Serbs.