Six Alleged Serbian Interior Ministry Members Arrested In Kosovo

The European Union mission in Kosovo says six suspected operatives of Serbia's Interior Ministry have been arrested in Kosovo, and five of them ordered held for 30 days.

The EU mission EULEX said in a statement on February 27 that the six were arrested on February 25 on suspicion of "exerting undue pressure" on citizens of the town of Partes not to recognize ethnic Albanian-led Kosovo institutions.

Partes is a small Serb-populated enclave in the southwest of Kosovo.

EULEX said that, following a detention hearing before an EU pre-trial judge, five of the suspects were ordered held for 30 days, while the sixth suspect was released.

In Belgrade, Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic condemned the arrests.

Serbia refuses to recognize Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence, saying the territory is still part of Serbia.

With reporting by AFP