Serbian Justice Ministry slams Pristina's arrest warrant for 20 Serbs

BELGRADE - The Serbian Justice Ministry has condemned in the strongest terms Pristina's decision to issue an arrest warrant for 20 Serbs suspected of committing alleged war crimes in Djakovica.

In a statement, the ministry said it condemned "in the strongest terms the latest activities by the illegal and unrecognised judicial institutions in Kosovo-Metohija aimed at continuing an action of intimidating the Serbs and at further preventing their return to the autonomous province."

It said the majority of the people in the group had never even been to Djakovica and that, evidently, the arrest warrant represented organised persecution of Serbs and a threat to their security.

"The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia appeals to the international community and its institutions in Kosovo-Metohija to prevent further irresponsible conduct by the illegal authorities in Pristina which violates the fundamental human rights of the Serb population, jeopardises freedom of movement and carries out a disgraceful persecution and intimidation of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija," the ministry said.

A Pristina court has charged the 20 Serbs with allegedly killing 106 ethnic Albanian civilians in Djakovica and physically abusing 300 others.