First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic visited the Ground Safety Zone today stating that the current situation in Kosovo-Metohija requires a compromise solution acceptable to both Belgrade and Pristina.

Following a visit to Tabalije administrative crossing, Dacic told Serbs in the north of the province that they should be unanimous because this is a time for reasonable and rational decisions, which implies the search for the best solution that would first of all guarantee the survival of Serbs in northern Kosovo-Metohija.

Regarding demands by certain European officials that Belgrade should withdraw its institutions from the north of the province, he underlined that the Serbian state will never abandon Serbs in Kosovo.

Answering journalists’ questions, Dacic said that it would be unfortunate if the Kosovo police closed Jarinje and Brnjak administrative crossings, stressing that unilateral acts are aimed against stability.

Pristina’s tactics is to draw a unilateral move and then declare that the condition cannot be returned to the previous state, after which the results of the violent act are to be legalised, Dacic explained.

I hope it will not come to this and that the international community will prevent it, Dacic said.

Police units securing the Ground Safety Zone along the administrative line are on stand-by in case any violence, terrorism or crime is transferred to other parts of Serbia, he noted, adding that the Ministry of the Interior is cooperating with the KFOR and EULEX, though this cooperation can be better.

Dacic will also visit Rudnica administrative crossing near Raska and talk with police officials maintaining the Ground Safety Zone.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that the Serbian Interior Ministry is open for admission of all national minorities, and also announced that competition for police officers will be announced soon in Novi Pazar and Prijepolje.

Admission of members of national minorities in the Serbian Ministry of the Interior is taking place within the development of the concept of community policing, said Dacic and recalled the recently announced competition for 50 Albanians in Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja.

The Deputy Prime Minister will today also visit the administrative crossing of Rudnica in Raska and will meet with police officials engaged in securing the Ground Safety Zone.