Lucic: The decision to shut down the MTS is absurd; I am sure that the international community will take our side

The General Director of Telekom Srbija, Vladimir Lucic, stated that he was fully convinced that MTS would continue to operate in Kosovo because Pristina's decision to ban the company's work was absurd and legally unfounded and that the international community would side with MTS, which had been respecting the Brussels Agreement all these years.

Lucic told RTS that "Telekom" had received a notification on Friday that they would be deleted from the Pristina Business Registration Agency within 30 days, and the reason for this, he said, was completely unusual, illogical, and absurd - that the company's registration was not correct because one member of the management had Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia as his place of birth in his passport, which for Pristina was a violation of the constitution.

"It is a multifaceted absurdity. Imagine deleting a company, because one member of the management allegedly does not have the correct document... If they had seen our registration sheet, they would see that we are duly registered, as it is written in the Brussels Agreement, and that our responsible persons have their identity cards, but no passport," Lucic notes.

As he adds, on the "absurd paper", it is stated that MTS has 30 days to appeal.

"We have contacted all the embassies, we have the full help of the state because I can't imagine any other scenario except that they admit their mistake," the director of "Telekom" points out.

In the event that the appeal is still rejected, MTS remains to seek a temporary measure to prevent that decision, due to causing irreparable damage to the company, Lucic says.

"We have those two steps, legally local, with which we would prevent this, legally unfounded, decision, which is a violation of the Brussels Agreement, and those who made the decision must be aware of that," he pointed out.

He points out that by turning off the mobile signal for people who have a connection with Serbia, and by turning off the TV signal and the Internet, a population is effectively cut off.

MTS in Kosovo has about 250 employees, and Lucic states that people are worried, which is why he went to visit them a few days ago.

"I am completely convinced that Telekom will stay there. We had various phases in Kosovo, we were cut off in 2005, 2006, and 2007, and we came back again. And this time, I'm sure, we will stay," Lucic is clear.

He expressed his belief that the international community would take their side this time, because "Telekom" had been respecting the Brussels Agreement all these years.

"This is a test for the international community," Lucic emphasized.

He added that "Telekom" strived to be "number 1" in every territory where it operated.

"I'm sure it will be the same in Kosovo. We were the main candidates to buy Ipko, at the tender, and I'm sure that either by getting the third license or by acquisition, we will be number 1 in that territory as well and that we will hire new workers," Lucic said.