Kosovo-Serbia Deal 'Not Even Close', Vucic Says

"Do we have any draft solutions in Brussels? We do not, we are not even close to it," President Aleksandar Vucic said in a speech before thousands of Serbs in the Serb-run northern half of the divided Kosovo town of Mitrovica.

After Kosovo war veterans blocked roads leading to the village of Banje, south of the Ibar River, the Kosovo Government cancelled Vucic's visit to the village, but made no problems about him holding the rally in North Mitrovica.

Vucic underlined that his idea was to keep the peace and try to "build bridges toward Albanians". The President also added Serbs should "strive for an agreement [with Kosovo Albanians], even when we know it is almost impossible, because everything else leads us into an ambis and a catastrophe".

Vucic's visit to Kosovo followed Friday's EU-facilitated meetings in Brussels, where Vucic decided not to meet  his Kosovo counterpart, Hashim Thaci.

The former province declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Serbia has never recognised it.

However, international pressure is growing on both countries to solve the decade-long dispute, if they are to assure themselves a future as part of the EU.

Vucic started his Kosovo trip by visiting Gazivode Lake on Saturday, where he stated that it is time for Serbs and Albanians to try to talk with more respect to each other.

Vucic on Sunday planned a visit to the village of Banje, south of the Ibar River, but 200 Kosovo war veterans who opposed the visit to the majority-Serb village put up barricades at the entrance of the village.

Serbian journalists from Insajder and Deutsche Welle reported on Sunday that they have been attacked while trying to report from barricades by Kosovo war veterans.

Journalist of Insajder...