Kosovo Warns It May Sack No-Show Serb Policemen

Around 700 Serbs serve in the 7,000-strong Kosovo Police, created by the United Nations which ran Kosovo for eight years from 1999.

About 250 Serbian police officers who have refused to work since Albanian-majority Kosovo declared independence earlier this year may soon lose their jobs, Kosovo's Interior Minister said on Thursday.

Two weeks after Kosovo declared independence in February, the Serb officers turned in their weapons, radios and badges, demanding to report only to international police and not to the Albanian-dominated police command in the capital Pristina.

Still, they have received salaries from the Kosovo government, reflecting the government's caution over upsetting the Serb minority.

"If they don't turn back soon we will not pay them any more and will start the process of recruiting other officers," Zenun Pajaziti, Kosovo's Interior Minister, said in an interview. "In the areas where these officers are not working crime activities have drastically increased."

Around 700 Serbs serve in the 7,000-strong Kosovo Police, created by the United Nations which ran Kosovo for eight years from 1999.

Most Serb police also draw a second salary from Serbia's Interior Ministry, which keeps paying them because it does not recognise the independence of a region important to Serbia's history and Orthodox religion.

"I don't want to work because, we, the Serb officers, don't want to cement the independence of Kosovo," said one Serb police officer who did not want to be named. "As a Serb, I feel ashamed in my community to work for Albanians."

Last week the European Union launched a long-delayed police and justice mission (EULEX) in Kosovo aimed at building long-term stability in the country.

Pajaziti said the EULEX deployment marked the last chance for Serb police officers to go back at their stations. But "we have not given them a deadline because we don't want to put pressure on them," he said.

The Kosovo government is hoping EULEX will find a solution for the rebellious officers, but their powers in this regard are limited.

"In our talks with the Serb police officers we encourage them to return. But it is not our role to tell them to return," said Karin Limdal, an EULEX spokesperson. "We don't have a mandate to negotiate."

Opposed by Serbia and its ally Russia, Kosovo declared independence on February 17 and is recognized by 53 countries including the United States and most EU member states.

Serbia's Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic said that there is no reason for Serb policemen not to go back to work but said they will not be commanded by majority Albanians.

"There is no dilemma: we can only accept the EULEX chain of command and not the one coming from Pristina," said Bodganovic.