Kosovo Serb representatives said on Aug. 26 that EUR5 million of Kosovo government aid intended for the north, where mainly Serbs live, was not welcome and that few people would accept and use the money.

Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija State Secretary Oliver Ivanovic told BETA that Serbs harbored strong reservations toward Kosovo's institutions, and that these reservations were justified because dangers to the Serbian population often came directly from institutions in Pristina.

"No amount of millions will help because the fear and mistrust of Serbs is greater than material and financial gain. The money is additionally mistrusted and there is the feeling that this is some underhanded work to undermine the stability of Serbs," said Ivanovic.

Radenko Nedeljkovic, the head of the Kosovska Mitrovica district, said that Serbs did not recognize the Kosovo government and that money from the Kosovo budget was not welcome in the north.

Serbian National Council of Northern Kosovo Chair Milan Ivanovic said that the moment the decision was made to set up a Kosovo government fund for investing in northern Kosovo had been carefully chosen.

The government in Pristina created a special fund of EUR5 million which, as was announced, would be invested in improving infrastructure in northern Kosovska Mitrovica, Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok - Serbian municipalities in northern Kosovo.