Kosovo Serbs seek Russian citizenshipNovember 15, 2011 - 10:45 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - More than 20,000 Kosovo Serbs have applied for Russian citizenship, Serbian media reported citing Zlatibor Djordjevic, a spokesman for the Old Serbia movement. "We have handed over 21,733 Russian citizenship requests to the Russian embassy in Belgrade," the Beta news agency quoted Djordjevic as saying. He said the letter, addressed to the Russian State Duma, will be delivered to the lower chamber of the Russian parliament via the Foreign Ministry. The Russian Foreign Ministry is yet to comment on the reports. Djordjevic added that more Serbs may turn to Russia for protection. "By all possible means, we tried to get protection from our country, but it pushes us back into the state which we refuse to recognize," Djordjevic said, adding that his supporters do not recognize any agreements reached during talks between Pristina and Belgrade, which began this March in Brussels with the EU mediation, RIA Novosti reported. Kosovo, a landlocked region with a population of mainly ethnic Albanians, declared its independence from Serbia in February 2008. About 5-10 percent of Kosovo two-million-people population are ethnic Serbs. Tensions flared in Kosovo's ethnic Serb enclave in northern Kosovo in October after Albanian Kosovars installed their customs officers at the Jarinje and Brnjak border crossings with Serbia. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |