Thousands of ethnic Albanians protested Tuesday in Pristina, capital of Serbia's breakaway Kosovo province, against the deployment of the EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) under UN mandate.
Over 20 Non-Government Organizations organized the demonstration, claiming that EULEX's operation under UN Security Council Resolution 1244 would lead to ethnic partition in Kosovo.
Protesters peacefully gathered in front of EULEX headquarters and wrote there "EULEX Made in Serbia." They declared the UN mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) as a colonizer administration and its chief, Italian Lamberto Zannier "persona non grata."
Having been run by the UNMIK by nearly nine years, ethnic Albanian-majority Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in February despite strong opposition from Serbia and Kosovo's ethnic Serbs.
The EULEX is designed to replace the UNMIK with some executive powers in judiciary, custom and police although the UNMIK will remain in Kosovo to deal with issues concerning ethnic Serbs.
Ethnic Albanians expressed their disagreement with the UN Security Council decision on EULEX deployment, because it is based on a six-point plan achieved between UN and Serbia.
Leader of "Self-determination Movement" Albin Kurti said such a decision makes EULEX to work against Kosovo interests.
"EULEX will not dissolve parallel structures of Serbia, but will cooperate with them," said Kurti.
The UN plan opens the door for EULEX deployment with neutral position over the status issue.
"A neutral EULEX position on status means it does not recognize(Kosovo's) independence, so it's against it," said Kurti.
Tuesday's demonstration was organized on the day when the EULEX was said to start symbolically its operations in Kosovo.
European officials in Kosovo said the full extension of the mission is likely to be completed by the end of winter.
Kosovo institutions have repeated their position that the deployment of EULEX might happen only in accordance with Kosovo Constitution and former UN Kosovo envoy Marti Ahtisaari's Status Proposal, which envisages internationally-supervised independence for Kosovo.
Protesters blamed Kosovo leaders for no transparency over the UN and Serbia initiatives to reach a new agreement over EULEX deployment.
Opposition block has demanded resignations of President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.
Source:Xinhua
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