Kosovo police assume protection of Serbian monument
19/03/2010
PRISTINA, Kosovo -- As scheduled, the Kosovo Police on Thursday (March 18th) assumed responsibility for protecting a Serbian monument, just outside Pristina. KFOR personnel had been protecting it since 1999 but say the police have demonstrated they are ready for the duty. Belgrade, Kosovo Serb politicians and Serbs have criticised the change. Serbia's Ministry for Kosovo said in a statement that the move raises questions about the sincerity of efforts to protect historical monuments of cultural importance to Serbs. The monument in Gazimestan, just outside of Pristina, marks the 1389 Battle of Kosovo against the Ottoman occupation. (BBC, Telegrafi, RTK, Kohavision - 18/03/10)