Thousands of Serbs without telephone service

Source: B92, Tanjug

Serbs in their enclaves in central and southern Kosovo have been left without landline and mobile telephone service.

Beta news agency reports that eighty thousand Serbs in Kosovo were left without mobile, and a few thousands without fixed telephony.

Kosovo Albanian authorities from Priština escorted by Kosovo police yesterday destroyed and shut down equipment of Telekom Srbija (Serbia's telecommunications company), claiming they "operated illegally".

Telekom said they would look to restore service as soon as they could, and rejected these accusations. The company's technical unit coordinator for Kosovo and Metohija, Ilija Ivanović, said that Telekom operated in the province with a license.

"Telekom works in line with (UNSC) Resolution 1244," he was quoted as saying.

On Sunday, Ministry for Kosovo officials said that this development could have a negative impact on the forthcoming talks between Belgrade and Priština.

On Monday, head of the EU mission in Kosovo and Metohija (EULEX) Yves de Kermabon will visit Belgrade, where he will meet with officials.

Kermabon will meet with Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanović, the Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija said in a statement.

Kermabon is also scheduled to meet with Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ivica Dačić, announced MUP.