According to the author of the cantonization plan, Dusan Batakovic, the most recent modified version of the project is based on the security zones, which would be established for five years. In those zones where Serbs are in majority, they would implement the mandate of the international community through their own administration and police. Borders of cantons would be secured by KFOR troops.
"Representatives of the International Community rejected the word 'canton' with an explanation that it reminds them of 'bad things from the past', but they are aware of the problem and they did not reject the discussion of the project. We considered several methods for institutional protection of Serbs, all of which would have to be guaranteed by KFOR and accepted by the local representatives of Serbs. Maybe the final project won't be named cantonization, but it will contain its key elements," said Batakovic. He added that he had suggested to the representatives of UNMiK "to propose a different plan in the next few days, if they do not like our proposal".
The difference between the modified cantonization proposal and the previous version, according to Batakovic, is that the legal status of cantons with respect to Serbia and Yugoslavia has not been specified. Batakovic asserted that cantonization "has already been implemented spontaneously" in the field and that Serbs have concentrated in enclaves in those places where they are in majority.
"The International Community finds it difficult to accept the concept of cantonization of Kosovo, but it finds it even harder to reject it. If something similar is not implemented, there will be no Serbs in Kosmet and the concept of multiethnic Kosovo will fail; that would represent a definite defeat of the U.N. mission, and they do not want to accept a defeat," emphasized Trajkovic. He characterized the proposal of UNMiK's head Bernard Kouchner for transfer of population as "a defeat of national interests and peaceful policy of the U.N.". Trajkovic emphasized that currently the biggest problem in Kosovo is "the lack of political will" of U.N. representatives to protect the non-Albanian population. According to Trajkovic, cantonization would not only ensure protection of the remaining Serbs, but also the return of those who have left the province. He called on the expelled Serbs to only return, for the sake of their own security, to Serb enclaves.
According to Batakovic, Albanian representatives in the Transitional Kosovo Council also rejected the cantonization proposal.
"'KLA' leader Hashim Thaqi refused to discuss the proposal, while Veton Surroi emphasized that Kosovo is as multiethnic as Slovenia," said Batakovic.
According to Trajkovic, about 100,000 Serbs remain in Serb enclaves, while 170,000 of them have left Kosmet. He emphasized that the remaining Serbs are exposed to incessant attacks of Albanian terrorists, as well as that they are in danger of death by starvation. While he spoke about old lady Milka Djukic from Pristina who had been out of food and water for four days, Trajkovic began to cry. Mentioning numerous examples of bestial behavior of terrorists, the leader of the Serb Resistance Movement talked about the death of eight Serb returnees to Pec: they were slaughtered on the day they returned to the town.
The Council demands that the Serbs in Kosmet should receive the same rights within the future commonwealth in Kosmet as those guaranteed to Albanians within the framework of Serbia and Yugoslavia.
"If 'peacemakers' reject this request, and provide full rule with elements of statehood for the Albanians, we shall do everything in our power to make sure that the northern part of Kosmet does not remain a part of the southern province of Serbia," emphasized Jaksic.
40 French soldiers are on duty in the village. They have set up four checkpoints and have ten armored vehicles. In spite of that, the terrorists have attacked this overwhelmingly Serb village several times since the arrival of KFOR, mostly from the neighboring Albanian villages of Bivoljak and Glavotina in the foothills of the Cicavica mountain, where in the last two years there was a large concentration of terrorists. The inhabitants of Priluzje have set up their own sentries, both on the outskirts and in the center of the village.
"We have been protected by French soldiers but we still do not have freedom of movement. We have finished the harvest and collected the wheat under protection of the French. The only way out from the village is by train to Zvecan and Leposavic, where we trade and buy food and other goods. There is one departure daily for Zvecan: the train leaves Priluzje at 3p.m. and comes back at 6p.m. Every day, there are about 200 passengers," says the local Filimon Savic (51).
About 80% of windows on five passenger cars have been smashed since Albanians incessantly stone the train. They've pulled screws from the tracks twice so far, but the train driver noticed the sabotage both times in time to stop the train. Since about a week ago, 15 French soldiers travel by train daily, but ng continues. Between Zvecan and Priluzje, the train has only one stop in the village of Svinjare. The only stop after Priluzje is in Kosovo Polje. The train does not stop in Kosovska Mitrovica and Vucitrn.
"We are surrounded and cannot even travel to Pristina, Obilic or Vucitrn. In any case, it is not safe for Serbs to travel to these towns. The train is our only connection with the world. We have been received by Milosevic in Belgrade and he told us to hold out a bit longer. Since we stayed until now, we won't go," says Blazo Stojanovic (34).
Zivorad Mitrovic (62) claims that for him, as well as the majority of the locals, there is no dilemma: "I cannot even think about leaving Kosovo. This is our ancestral soil. I would rather die on my threshold defending my house, property, and Serbdom. We are strong and we shall defend ourselves. By God, we shall not give up what is ours."
There is a health center in the village, staffed by Dr. Sreten Stojanovic and two nurses. Private entrepreneur Zoran Kostic continues with the production of "maya" for producing cheese, for which he has a captive market as the only producer in Kosmet and the south of Serbia.
"Now we need oil for the autumn sowing, and the state would have to provide it immediately. Because, if we are thinking about sowing, we shall stay until the next harvest," says Blazo.
The village primary school "Vuk Karadzic" is ready for the start of the new school year, but there will be problems with 150 highschoolers who are supposed to attend school in Kosovska Mitrovica.
Temporarily, 120 Serb refugees from the villages of Novo Selo, Velika Reka, Dobrotin, town of Vucitrn etc. have found accommodation in Priluzje. They are especially irritated by the provocative behavior of Albanian pensioners who, with new traditional Albanian white scull caps, come to the center of the village, where in the local post office they receive their pensions [paid by the nment]. "While they are free to come here and walk around, none of us as much as dares to even peek into an Albanian village," says Zivorad Mitrovic.
The locals receive some daily press from Serbia. They say that they have established their private channels but "this is confidential, because of terrorists".
Local authorities from Vucitrn, temporarily located in Kosovska Mitrovica, claim that currently Serbs remain in the villages of Priluzje, Gojbulja, Miroc, Banjska and Slatina.