Lucic: Telekom Srbija's survival as provider in Kosovo-Metohija crucial for Serbs

BELGRADE - Telekom Srbija CEO Vladimir Lucic said on Friday his company's survival as a telecommunications services provider in Kosovo-Metohija was crucial for the survival of Serbs in the province.

Commenting on a decision by Pristina's competition protection authority to hand a 1.56 mln euro fine to MTS, a Telekom Srbija subsidiary, Lucic told Prva TV the move was aimed at preventing an MTS expansion.

"Since the advent of the current (Pristina) administration, we have been having problems and we have been under continuous pressure, which culminated in August, when they tried to switch us off completely. That campaign failed due to great support from the international community. They are now turning to Plan B, which is to attempt to prevent us from expanding further," Lucic said.

It is very important that MTS gets consolidated and continues to provide stable internet and television services to every Serb household in Kosovo-Metohija and maintain their ability to communicate with the world, he said.

"They (Pristina) are now trying to prevent future acquisitions because our attempt to buy a small cable operator in Gracanica was rejected last week and they are trying to force a revision of old acquisitions as well," Lucic said, noting that the Pristina interim institutions were again violating their own laws.