SERB DEPUTIES IN KOSOVO ASSEMBLY REFUSE TO PAY RESPECT TO RACAK "VICTIMS"
SRNA - January 15, 2004

Pristina, 15 January: The Serb deputies in the Kosovo-Metohija Assembly refused during today's parliamentary session to pay respect to the Albanians killed in the village of Racak near Stimlje. The minute of silence was observed on the fifth anniversary of that event.

The head of the Return floor group, Dragisa Krstovic, said that the call to the deputies to pay respect to the Racak victims by Kosovo Speaker Nexhat Daci was an act of incitement to hatred and stirred up emotions.

On behalf of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Sabri Hamiti said that the Return coalition was an irresponsible group which was given its mandates as gifts.

"You have endorsed Belgrade's destructive policy towards Kosovo, but if you had any morals, which you do not, you would have then paid respect to the Racak victims," Hamiti said addressing the Serb deputies during the first parliamentary session this year.

Despite opposition from the deputies of the Return coalition, the assembly demanded that all Serb deputies should be stripped of their mandates and that all officials in Kosovo institutions who took part in the parliamentary elections in Serbia should lose their posts. They were referring to members of the Socialists (Socialist Party of Serbia) and the Radicals (Serbian Radical Party).

The demand was put on the agenda of a future assembly session.

Source: SRNA news agency, Bijeljina, in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian 1015 gmt 15 Jan 04

Copyright 2004 Financial Times Information
All rights reserved
Global News Wire - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire 
Copyright 2004 BBC Monitoring/BBC  
BBC Monitoring International Reports

Posted for Fair Use only.