Leader of the CI SDP Oliver Ivanović assesses for the regional TV N1 the internal dialogue on Kosovo as the most important issue for the Serbs.
Ivanović reminds that in 2006 he proposed the Cypriot model for Kosovo, not as a model of status, but as a model for resolving the conflict.
He says that this is not about a “frozen conflict”, as President Vučić claims, and adds that such a model, except in the case of Cyprus, was applied by the EU in the case of the United Kingdom, i.e. Cyprus was admitted with the unresolved status of the northern part of the island, Britain became a member of the EU while the issue of Northern Ireland was not resolved.
Ivanović, therefore, believes that Serbia should also position itself the same towards the EU, to be accepted as a comprehensive country, along with Kosovo, with the fact of non-compliance of European legislation in Kosovo. He points out that the Turkish Cypriots only now set down at the negotiating table, when they realized that, unlike the rest of the country, they do not enjoy the benefits of EU membership. He is convinced that the Albanians will be ready for an agreement when they realize that they have something to lose.
He also told N1 that he will try to return to the position where he was before the arrest in 2014 with the candidacy for the mayor of North Mitrovica.
-It’s absurd, because 18 years ago it was logical that we all feel unsafe, but we knew from which side the danger was coming, and now there is an internal danger, that is what is worrying and what is disappointing, Ivanović said for N1.
On the occasion of local elections to be held in Kosovo at the end of October, Ivanović says that the level of democratic awareness is low and that he expects a difficult campaign.
Oliver Ivanović welcomed the invitation of Serbian President Alekandar Vučić to the internal dialogue on Kosovo, with the expectation that he will be more persistent than his predecessors – Vojislav Koštunica and Boris Tadić.
According to him, Kosovo is the most important open issue that Serbs have and it overcomes daily political issues.
