Petkovic: Policy of defending Serbs' interests continues

BELGRADE - The head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija Petar Petkovic said on Monday a landslide Srpska lista victory in the election race for seats allocated for Serbs in the assembly of the Pristina provisional institutions meant that a policy of defending the interests of Kosovo-Metohija Serbs continued.

The Serb party won all ten of the allocated seats in Sunday's elections.

"I congratulate the Kosovo-Metohija Serbs and Srpska lista on the great election success, which they achieved through joint forces in conditions that are the most difficult to date, demonstrating substantial seriousness and a sense of responsibility to show, at a decisive time for our survival, unity, harmony and the strength to safeguard and defend our national interests in the province," Petkovic said in an official statement.

Despite months of Pristina's intensive campaigning against Srpska lista and abuses targeting Serbs, this victory shows all those who wanted to banish the Serbs from their ancestral homes that the ties between the Kosovo-Metohija Serbs and the state of Serbia are unbreakable and that the Serbs are the strongest in the toughest of times and when it is the most necessary.

"With this landslide win for Srpska lista and the winning of all guaranteed mandates, the policy of defending the Kosovo-Metohija Serbs' interests continues, as does all financial and other assistance from Belgrade to our people, and the Serbian state, with President Aleksandar Vucic at its helm, stands with them shoulder to shoulder," Petkovic added.