Albanian Language Media:

• Bislimi: We will ensure that all minorities are safe (media)
• Eichhorst: Now we have to find ways to implement provisions from European proposal (Klan)
• Opposition: European proposal is a continuation of “status-quos” (Ekonomia Online)
• Association: This is what solution looks like, there is no other – it is European (Albanian Post) 
• Shea: Association can be done without jeopardising sovereignty (Paparaci)
• PSD places 205 thousand signatures against Association in front of government, warns of a protest  (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Brnabic: ‘Anti-state coalition’ did everything to make Serbia’s position difficult (N1)
• Obradovic: Five parliamentary parties request Assembly session on Kosovo (Radio KIM, media)
• Opposition: In Belgrade on March 17, a warning protest ahead of the meeting between Vucic and Kurti (KoSSev)
• Djilas: Rejecting agreement which is not good for Serbia – is not good either (Radio KIM, media)
• Patriarch Porfirije: The Church has never deviated from Kosovo and Metohija and has never abandoned it (SOC website, media)
• Ristic, Trajkovic and Jovic sent third letter to Patriarch (media)
• Peoples’ Party undertakes action against Franco-German plan for Kosovo (social media)
• Nova.rs: European diplomats on point 4 of the agreement: Kosovo in the UN only with the consent of permanent members (KoSSev, N1)
• Romania’s stance on Kosovo unchanged – MFA (Tanjug)
• UNS and DNKiM call on institutions to ensure translation for journalists (media)
• Hill: ZSO must be formed, 10 years is too long (KiM radio, Tanjug, N1)

Albanian Language Media  

Bislimi: We will ensure that all minorities are safe (media)

Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, has said that Kosovo will not avoid its responsibilities and will ensure that all minorities in Kosovo are safe.

In an interview with the Greek newspaper “Kathimerini”, Bislimi did not specify how the implementation of this useful issue will be achieved.

“To Kosovo, a necessary condition is full normalisation through mutual recognition, while to Serbia, a decisive condition is that Prishtina agrees to create an Association of municipalities, inhabited mainly by Serbs, which will give the Serbs a degree of autonomy. There is already an appropriate framework agreed last Monday in Brussels and we will seek to work on it,”Bislimi said.

He added that Serbia, by agreeing to the EU Plan, has committed “to practically recognize Kosovo and that it is realising that it is for its best.”

He emphasised that Greece should also follow this pace and take decisive steps.

“It is in the interest of Cyprus to to avoid these parallels as much as possible,” Bislimi said when asked about the concerns of Greece about the effects that “the recognition of Kosovo may have in relation to the issue of Cyprus.”

Eichhorst: Now we have to find ways to implement provisions from European proposal (Klan)

The General Director for Europe in the European Service for Foreign Affairs, Angelina Eichhorst, said that when it comes to the European proposal for the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, it is now necessary to determine the specific modalities of the implementation of the provisions.

She emphasised that both parties have expressed their willingness to continue the implementation of the Agreement and that further negotiations are needed to determine the specific modalities of implementing the provisions.

“The High Representative Josep Borrell will convene the next meeting in Ohrid and of course it is important to see that the talks will continue. These are complex issues. I believe that many people in the region want to see a result where they can finally change the narrative and look towards the future together,” Eichhorst said.

Opposition: European proposal is a continuation of “status-quos” (Ekonomia Online)

The two largest opposition parties in Kosovo, the Democratic Party (PDK) and the Democratic League (LDK), assess that the European Plan for the normalisation of Kosovo-Serbia relations is not in favour of Kosovo, as it does not focus on mutual recognition, but on the formation of the Association. MPs of the PDK and the LDK told Ekonomia Online that it is worrying that this agreement has no final recognition, and this means the continuation of the “status quos”. 

Hajdar Beqa, MP from the PDK, said that the way of leadership dialogue by Prime Minister Albin Kurti has degraded the talks with Serbia to a lower level. He told EO that in the past mutual recognition was on the table, while now it is only the Association. 

He said that Kurti was not authorised to remove mutual recognition from this agreement, and according to him this agreement sends us to a “status quo” that will not be in favour of the citizens of Kosovo. We must maintain relations with our allies, we have also seen the statements of the United States of America and the European Union that the Government of Kosovo is not asking for an agreement contrary to the Constitution”. “At the same time, I think that the prime minister was not authorised to remove the topic of mutual recognition and I think that this agreement puts us in a status quo, which is not in favour of the citizens of Kosovo, given the high number of migration that we have”, he said. 

Meanwhile, Rrezarta Krasniqi, MP of the LDK, the fact that this agreement does not have final recognition has been worrying. Krasniqi said that another problem in this agreement is Article 7 and the non-inclusion of the missing persons in this agreement. 

Prime Minister Albin Kurti came to power with certain principles, saying that there will be no dialogue until the last missing person is found, while in this agreement one sees an equality between the victims and the Serbian aggressor who it is worrying for all citizens of the country. As it seems for two years now, he has violated all the principles since he came to power”, she told EO.

She, like Beqa, said that the agreement sends Kosovo to a status quo where there will be no end to the dialogue, only delays. 

Association: This is what solution looks like, there is no other – it is European (Albanian Post) 

Less than two weeks and Albin Kurti and Aleksandar Vucic must agree to everything that was asked from them by the European Union and the United States of America.

March 18 marks the end of the patience and the limit for signing.

The most important issue remains the Association of Serb-majority municipalities.

Diplomatic sources told Albanian Post that among the many different models and forms of self-government for national minorities, which are currently applied in the territory of the European Union (in total 17 different models), the solution for the Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities is being sought in the mix of the different elements that are currently applied in Germany, Italy, France, and Belgium. Namely the models of Eastern Belgium (self-government of the German community), the model of Alsace in France, the models of self-government for the German-speaking and French-speaking community in Italy and the model of self-government of the Danish community in Germany, the sources add.

However, the Government of Kosovo must take into account and must not forget that during the examination of the models, it should pay attention to four very important symbols.

First) Germany, France, Italy and Belgium are founding states of the European Union, second) They are advanced democracies, third) They are former sworn enemies and fourth) These regions, which serve as a model, were a source of wars for centuries and conflicts.

Not forgetting the fact that Kosovo is a relatively small state, the basic idea is that the proposed model of the Association does not destroy the unitary character of the state of Kosovo.

This means that none of the above models can be COPY PASTE (as suggested by some diplomats and experts involved in the process), therefore it is being considered to create a sui generis model suitable for Kosovo.

So, a mix of elements from models with territorial autonomy and elements from models with non-territorial autonomy. Due to the specifics that normally differ, porting and implementing a single model that has worked elsewhere is impossible to port.

Therefore, the idea of the general status of the Association is thought to be taken from the model of France’s Alsace. In the organisational structure of France, Alsace has an intermediate status.

The problem here is that in Kosovo there are only two levels of government – the municipalities and the central government. If Kosovo had the level of the region, as France has, as a power between the municipality and the government, the model of Alsace would mean something more than a municipality and less than a region.

While from the model of Schleswig in Germany, namely the self-government of the Danish community there, it is thought to take elements such as the right to organise the educational system and other essential systems directly related to the community.

And, most importantly, the system of regulating financial and political support from the parent state. Within the applicable legal framework, the Danish community in Germany has a well-established system of financial and political assistance from the Danish government.

On the other hand, in Belgium, from the way the 9 municipalities of the German federal community cooperate with the municipalities of Malmedy and Weismes, municipalities with a French majority but a German minority and no territorial connection with the 9 compact municipalities in the east of Belgium, the element of not a necessary  territorial connection between municipalities is taken. 

While, except for practical details, it is believed that the very important spirit of trust-building is thought to be taken from the experience of Italy.

Italy can be considered a champion of investing in trust building between non-majority communities and the central government. This is a very important detail for Kosovo.

The sources of Albanian Post say decisively that the authorities in Kosovo and Serbia must not forget that the above mentioned models in their core address the German experience and trauma.

Territories with German majority in former Eastern Europe were ethnically cleansed, from Vojvodina to Poland. The fact that countries like Italy, France and Belgium, were democracies and attentive to human rights, was crucial for German-speaking communities.

Despite the fact that the Germans were yesterday’s enemies, these countries engaged that, as an integral part of the reconciliation process, to include the emancipation of the position of their German-speaking communities.

As diplomats who are involved in the process say “Serbia and Kosovo cannot claim to become part of Western civilisation and meanwhile base the solution for their national minorities on models of former communist East”, namely with the hope that in time a silent ethnic cleansing will take place, meaning creating the idea that Albanians from southern Serbia will move silently to Kosovo and Kosovo Serbs would move silently to Serbia.

Kosovo and Serbia must learn and take inspiration from these above-mentioned European models and experiences (widely elaborated by the Albanian Post) and which at their core have the trauma of the German people and the generosity of France, Belgium and Italy.

As such, they cannot be thrown aside by either Belgrade or Pristina. Such a thing would be a very big political mistake from both Belgrade and Pristina.

From what has been discussed so far, from the examination of various European models, the input of diplomats, the information possessed by Albanian Post show that in summary, in general terms, the Association of Municipalities with a Serb Majority should have the following main features:

Initially, an intermediate status, so, something beyond the competences of a municipality, but less than a second level of power. As admonished earlier – not NGO, not autonomous unit.

Attention, the word “territory of the Association” does not mean the exercise of territorial control, but only the definition of the area where the Association can exercise its duties and responsibilities defined in the statute.

The legal personality of the Association will be that of a non-profit public organisation derived from the Law on the ratification of the first normalisation agreement.

The personnel and officials of the Association will have the status of public servants. For those who know, Kosovo Legislation makes a clear distinction between officials who are part of the government (civil servants) and officials who provide public services.

Since the goal of the Association is not governance, but the provision of the best services and opportunities for the Kosovo Serb community, the personnel and officials of the Association will have the status of public servants, in accordance with the spirit of the legislation in power.

The association will have full responsibilities in the self-organisation (keyword: self-organisation, self-management) of education, science, health, culture and sports.

This right will serve as a sufficient basis for the Republic of Serbia to withdraw from the organisation of the parallel system of education, health, culture and sports in favour of the Association.

With the establishment of the Association, all these activities and services will be brought under the umbrella of the authority of the Republic of Kosovo, including participation in the sports leagues of Kosovo.

In matters of spatial planning, the Association will have coordinating powers between the municipalities. The authority of the Association will not jeopardise the powers of the central government in any way.

In economic matters, the Association will have coordinating powers between the municipalities. The authority of the Association will not endanger in any form the powers of the central government for the general organisation of the economy.

All services performed by the Association must be free of cost.

As a primary source, the Association will be financed by the member municipalities. Government grants and grants from outside Kosovo, with emphasis on those from the Republic of Serbia, will serve as secondary financial sources.

Within the scope of its responsibility, the decisions issued by the Assembly of the Association will have the legal force of inter-municipal cooperation agreements. They become authoritative only after being confirmed separately by each Municipal Assembly.

The Assembly of the Association will consist of elected representatives, at the same time members of the municipal assemblies. Delegation to the Assembly of the Association is done by special vote in each Municipal Assembly. The elected representatives of the Serb community, represented in the Assembly of the Association, equip the Association with the function of an association representing the interests of the Serb community. Associations of communities, according to Article 60.2 of the Constitution of Kosovo, are constitutional categories. Consequently, the Association will have its own representative in the Council of Communities of Kosovo.

The association will also serve as an advocate for the promotion of the collective rights of the Serb community. This will be achieved through the engagement to create the conditions for return and integration and civil advocacy in relation to the central institutions of Kosovo and not only.

In order to create a climate of trust, the government of Kosovo will initiate the amendment of the Law on the Ombudsman. Through an amendment to the law, the Ombudsman will be obliged to refer concerns raised by representatives of non-majority communities (whether from municipalities led by non-majority municipalities or community associations) without delay, through the Ombudsman, to the Constitutional Court.

Associations, various territorial and non-territorial autonomies and countries with special statuses and unique characteristics are almost the norm on the European continent. Such regulations are a European standard, therefore it is completely incomprehensible to internationals that such a model does not find a place in this part of Europe (good that they still consider us such).

The association is inevitable, mistakes that can be made if extra care is not shown in the drafting of the statute are inevitable, therefore less rhetoric, more work by the Government of Kosovo.

Shea: Association can be done without jeopardising sovereignty (Paparaci)

The former spokesman of NATO during the war in Kosovo, Jamie Shea, considers that the 27 February agreement is very important for the future of both countries. However, he says that it is necessary to wait for the shape of how this agreement will be implemented.

“I think it’s a very good deal for both parties to move forward. States shall mutually respect documents, national symbols, and territorial integrity. Another very important element of this agreement is the right to self-determination, this point is particularly important for Kosovo. Even in the economic aspect, it is foreseen that Kosovo and Serbia will interact in different fields, and this helps in the complete normalisation of relations between the parties. So, it is extraordinary progress, even though a signature from the Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic is still missing,” he said.

Shea also commented on the issue of the Association of Municipalities with a Serbian majority. According to him, there are many European modalities for the formation of the Association, without jeopardising the sovereignty of Kosovo.

“So, the treatment of the Serbian community in Kosovo should be based on European standards. So, their language and culture should be accepted without any prejudice, they should have a secure future in Kosovo. I know very well that the Association of Municipalities with a Serb majority is a sensitive topic, but there are some very good solutions in Europe that can be taken as an example for the formation of the Association, without jeopardising the country’s sovereignty. On the other hand, it is up to Serbia to make some compromises. Now let’s see how the agreement will be implemented, and this is the most important part,” he said.

PSD places 205 thousand signatures against Association in front of government, warns of a protest  (media)

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) has developed an action in front of the building of the government of Kosovo.

PSD has placed 205 thousand petition signatures against the Association collected in 2016.

The leader of the Social Democratic Party, Dardan Molliqaj, criticised Prime Minister Albin Kurti for accepting in principle the European Union’s proposal for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.

Molliqaj has warned of a protest against this agreement, which he said will be held at the end of March or the beginning of April.

Serbian Language Media 

Brnabic: ‘Anti-state coalition’ did everything to make Serbia’s position difficult (N1)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said that the attacks on the country’s President, Aleksandar Vucic, regarding the new round of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, which was held on February 27 in Brussels, made Serbia’s position in those negotiations more difficult, N1 reports.  

Brnabic told Pink TV that these attacks culminated around the meeting in Brussels, and that “the anti-state coalition did everything in its power to make Serbia’s position difficult“.

“The fact that they want to weaken Vucic on the issue of Kosovo should be understood as a weakening of Serbia’s position“, she said. 

The Prime Minister stated that Vucic did not sign anything in Brussels (Agreement on the road to normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia), but that he repeated the red lines of the Serbian side, that is, Kosovo may not be a UN member and that there is no recognition of independence.

She said that the international community, which is participating in the negotiations, is now even more vocal about the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities.

Obradovic: Five parliamentary parties request Assembly session on Kosovo (Radio KIM, media)

Leader of the Serbian opposition Dveri Movement Bosko Obradovic said only Peoples’ Party (NS) supported request put forward by New Democratic Party of Serbia (Nova DSS), Movement for Renewal of Kingdom of Serbia (POKS), Oath Takers (Zavetnici) and Dveri for scheduling an extraordinary Serbian Assembly session on Franco-German proposal, Radio KIM reports.

Those four parliamentary parties requested an extraordinary session last week, and in addition to the Peoples’ Party, independent MPs, Milos Parandilovic and Aleksandar Jovic supported their request.

All member parties of the ruling coalition, and part of the opposition including United around Freedom and Justice Party (SSP), Democratic Party (DS) Green-leftist Club and We Must, same as other independent MPs didn’t support the request.

Obradovic said he finds it odd regardless if someone belongs to a ruling majority or opposition to be against assembly discussion about the most important national and state issue today.

“This composition of the National Assembly has never authorised the President of the Republic to negotiate on anything, accept or sign regarding Kosovo and Metohija, nor are these his constitutional authorities, and also no negotiation platform on Kosovo and Metohija that each authority needs to adhere to has been made”, Obradovic said.

Opposition: In Belgrade on March 17, a warning protest ahead of the meeting between Vucic and Kurti (KoSSev)

Portal KoSSev reported that representatives of certain opposition parties announced a ”big warning protest” for March 17, after a series of statements accusing the Serbian president of betrayal in connection with the European proposal, on the eve of the new meeting between Vucic and Kurti. 

KoSSev recalled that the Ohrid meeting scheduled for March 18 with the aim of discussing the implementation plan of the two officials, which is an integral part of the European proposal. The proposal is now called the Agreement on the Road to Normalisation of Relations between Serbia and Kosovo.

Representatives of the “state-building parliamentary opposition” announced a “big warning protest” ahead of this meeting.

At the forum “No capitulation” which was held over the weekend in Kraljevo, the leader of Nova DSS, Milos Jovanovic, said that “the people will very soon leave the halls and go out to the streets”.

“We are going towards it resolutely, organised, in stages, but we are going with it. On March 17, we expect you in Belgrade, to send a message to Vucic before leaving for North Macedonia,” Jovanovic told the crowd.

He also said that the Serbian Progressive Party has an “ugly past”, but also that Vucic must step down as president of Serbia.

“Vucic is a rationalist, a materialist, he does not understand the Kosovo covenant and Serbian history,” added Jovanovic.

He said that the European proposal is an agreement on the capitulation of Serbia and the secession of Kosovo.

The leader of Dveri , Bosko Obradovic, also spoke at the same forum.

He also invited the citizens to come to Belgrade on March 17, to for the last time “warn” Vucic to reject the Franco-German agreement in Ohrid.

“We demand that Vucic resign due to the overthrow of the constitutional order and capitulation in Brussels, and that extraordinary parliamentary and presidential elections be called,” Obradovic pointed out and added – “let the SNS run for treason and Greater Albania as its policy in those elections.”

Djilas: Rejecting agreement which is not good for Serbia – is not good either (Radio KIM, media)

Leader of opposition Freedom and Justice Party (SSP) Dragan Djilas said discussion on the already adopted text of the European proposal on Kosovo is meaningless, adding there is no point declaring on something that had already happened and which is, as he said, inevitable.

Commenting on the plan, Djilas said the plan is not good for Serbia, noting his party preceives the article that Serbia will not obstruct membership of Kosovo in any international organisation, which includes the UN as well as the most problematic part.

According to Djilas rejecting the agreement which is not good for Serbia – is not good either, because it would take the country to isolation.

“No one would bomb us this time, but we would have an economic bombardment with disastrous consequences. This would add to the already large exodus of population and in a 30-year time there would be no more than two million of us left. Serbia would be deserted”, he said. He said the solution is in politics based on pragmatism and reality, and not on emotions.

He said the plan to its largest extent was a consequence of a wrong politics and negotiations that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic led alone for over a decade, no one knew anything about, adding once the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) took power they moved negotiations in Brussels from technical to status one.

According to him, Serbia should focus on ensuring the good lives for Serbs living in Kosovo, open factories, create employment opportunities, financially support development of the University in Mitrovica in order to attract a large number of students there and invest everything it can in the areas populated by the Serbs and help development there.

Still, it would be insufficient if Serbs there do not feel safe, adding that this is where the largest responsibility of EU and US lies.

Patriarch Porfirije: The Church has never deviated from Kosovo and Metohija and has never abandoned it (SOC website, media)

“On 3 March 2023, His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch kyr Porfirije served a Service of Supplication to the Most Holy Theotokos with an Akathist in the church of Saint Sava on Vračar, for our faithful people on Kosovo and Metohija, for our holy places on Kosovo and Metohija, for our Kosovo and Metohija” reads the statement posted on the SOC’s website, of which media also widely reported.

“The Church has never deviated from Kosovo and Metohija nor abandoned Kosovo and Metohija. And not only did she not deviate but in no sense did she leave the people and the holy places, the villages and the cities, everything that makes Kosovo a pearl. Never, not even now! The Church is on Kosovo and Metohija now and always will be! We know that the Lord wants it to be so. The church is present there neither simply in thoughts springing from comfortable offices and commodious salons, nor with empty and hysterical words that most often simply echo. The church is actively present on Kosovo and Metohija. She is there by her very being, she is there by her own self. Throughout the centuries, the Church has preserved the spirit of Kosovo and the Kosovo covenant, carrying and spreading it throughout our nation”, reads the statement.

Read the full statement in English at: https://bit.ly/3IPdQAR

Ristic, Trajkovic and Jovic sent third letter to Patriarch (media)

Leaders of Fatherland Movement, Slavisa Ristic, Serbian National Forum, Momcilo Trajkovic and Movement for Défense of Kosovo and Metohija, Nebojsa Jovic sent a third letter to the Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije voicing their concerns for the destiny of the Serbian people in Kosovo in light of Franco-German proposal and, as they said, the politics Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic pursues in regard to it, Serbian media report.

The signatories of the letter said “that they must not remain silent about the situation of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija at this moment, and the fears among them caused by the latest acts of the Serbian authorities and in particular President Aleksandar Vucic”. They warned of a deteriorated situation of Serbian people and the state of Serbia in Kosovo, adding it has become a normal occurrence that Pristina authorities without problems usurp Serbian private properties and militarise the northern Kosovo with no reactions from Serbian authorities, Academy of Science, the Church and the public.

They also said that even those firmly determined to remain in Kosovo are not thinking of leaving and enrolling their children to the schools in central Serbia.

They found Patriarch’s words that “the Church has never renounced Kosovo and Metohija and has never abandoned it, nor people, shrines, cities and villages” as encouraging but insufficient, given the acts of the Serbian President regarding Franco-German proposal.

Noting that they have no intention to teach the Church how to act regarding Kosovo, they said they are willing to help adding that “Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija no longer have trust in the Serbian authorities, but only in the Church” and that “that trust must not be failed”.

Signatories also said given that they are convinced it is not the will of the Serbian people for Kosovo be recognized by Serbia nor it is the will of the Serbian Orthodox Church “it is not alright for our Church to be so thunderously silent” and recalled that previous late patriarchs, Pavle and Irinej, and also late bishops Amfilohije, Artemije and Atanasije would certainly oppose acts of the Serbian President “as they run contrary to the interest of our people, our state and our Church”, they said.

Peoples’ Party undertakes action against Franco-German plan for Kosovo (social media)

In announcements posted on social media, Serbian opposition Peoples’ Party (NS) said it started on weekend an action across Serbia aiming at informing citizens of the full content of the Franco-German plan for Kosovo and why acceptance of this plan would mean violation of the Serbian Constitution, recognition of Kosovo as a state and “an act of treason”.

The party said its activists over the weekend talked to people in various Belgrade municipalities, Kragujevac, Mladenovac, Cacak, Novi Sad, adding the action will continue.

Nova.rs: European diplomats on point 4 of the agreement: Kosovo in the UN only with the consent of permanent members (KoSSev, N1)

Kosovo will not seek membership in the United Nations without the explicit consent of all five permanent members of the UN Security Council – France, Great Britain, America, Russia, and China. This is stated in a document exclusively obtained by the “Nova” newspaper, which was drawn up by diplomats working on the Road Map for the implementation of the European Agreement on Kosovo. In this way, an attempt was being made to find a solution to Serbia’s opposition to agreeing to the admission of Kosovo to all international organisations, including the UN, which was interpreted as an informal recognition of independence., reported KoSSev portal, citing Nova.rs portal. 

Serbia’s consent to the admission of Kosovo to all international organisations was provided for in point 4 of the draft agreement and was Serbia’s main complaint. “Nova” daily obtained the response of European diplomats to this remark of Serbia, which will be part of the Road Map for the implementation of the agreement, reported KoSSev, citing this media. 

Recognition as a condition for entry into the EU

In the document entitled “Agreement on the road to normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia – Implementation of Article 4” it was stated that this proposal was inspired by the Basic Treaty on the Two Germanys from 1972, and that it was not about mutual recognition, but about peaceful coexistence and cooperation.

“The Federal Republic of Germany never recognized the German Democratic Republic and vice versa. However, the Basic Treaty of 1972 made it possible for the two Germanys to accept the reality of the other’s existence. This also enabled Western countries to develop relations with the GDR. If Serbia and Kosovo continue with their determination to join the European Union, full normalisation through mutual recognition will soon occur. For now, coexistence through cooperation and peaceful relations, regardless of differences, is the only thing the international community is asking from Serbia and Kosovo,” stated the document that European diplomats prepared as an appendix to the Roadmap for the implementation of the European Agreement.

When it comes to disagreements about point 4, the following was stated:

“Serbian authorities claim that the fact that Serbia does not oppose Kosovo’s membership in the UN represents a violation of Serbia’s basic position not to recognize Kosovo as a sovereign and independent country. In their opinion, membership in the UN is exclusively for sovereign and independent states, therefore, consent implies indirect recognition. That is not necessarily the case.”

Examples of Ukraine and Belarus, as well as the case of Israel, are cited in support of this.

Only with the consent of the permanent five

Then it was pointed out that Serbia should be aware of its limitations and that its opposition was not necessarily an obstacle for Kosovo’s admission to the UN.

“Kosovo’s membership in the UN depends exclusively on the formal consent of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. Kosovo will not aspire to membership in the UN without the explicit consent of the permanent five”.

This way, as stated by European diplomats, the importance of Russia and China as geopolitical players was acknowledged, and it was a symbolic gesture towards Moscow and Beijing. They believe that in this way Serbia’s sensitivity regarding Kosovo’s membership in the UN was met and they pointed out that Kosovo gained nothing if it aspired to membership in the UN without the express consent of the permanent five.

In the conclusion, it was stated that Serbia was gaining the favour of the West with its constructive approach, but it can also suffer serious consequences.

You will lose both Kosovo and the support of the West

“Regarding the last point, Serbia should be aware that in changing geopolitical circumstances and growing tensions between the West and the East, it is possible to reach an agreement on stabilisation very quickly. Kosovo’s membership in the UN could end in this arrangement. In that scenario, Serbia would lose everything, including Kosovo and much-needed support from the West. This simple addition to the agreement, which states nothing but the obvious, could become Serbia’s insurance policy,” the document concluded.

Vucic recently spoke about this in an interview with RTS. He said then that the problem was precisely in point 4, implying the admission of Kosovo to all international organisations. When asked if this includes the United Nations, Vucic replied:

“It includes, which is why I didn’t sign” and added that the solution was in the implementation, that is, the road map that is being developed, which should prescribe the way in which both parties will implement the agreement, recalled media. 

Romania’s stance on Kosovo unchanged – MFA (Tanjug)

The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has noted that Romania did not recognise unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, stressing that the country’s stance on the issue remained unchanged, Tanjug news agency reports.

In a written response to a Tanjug query, the ministry said it fully supported the EU-facilitated dialogue as the main channel for efficient and comprehensive normalisation of Belgrade-Pristina relations that could bring lasting peace and stability in the region.

It welcomed the readiness for compromise demonstrated by the leaders in Belgrade and Pristina at a February 27 meeting in Brussels, and expressed the hope further talks about an annex to an accepted agreement would soon produce results so that implementation could begin.

UNS and DNKiM call on institutions to ensure translation for journalists (media)

Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) and its branch in Kosovo (DNKiM) protested on Friday because translation into Serbian, but also into Albanian language, has not been provided at a news conference of the Kosovo Minister for Communities and Returns, Nenad Rasic on Friday, Radio KIM reports.

Rasic responded to questions of Serbian media outlets in Serbian, and in Albanian to the question of Albanian media outlets, with no subsequent translation of those responses.

UNS and DNKiM said that such a practice not only violates the Law on Use of Languages, but also impairs the right to information, guaranteed by numerous international conventions. They also called on fellow colleagues should this practice continue not to attend news conferences if translation is not provided. 

Hill: ZSO must be formed, 10 years is too long (KiM radio, Tanjug, N1)

The American ambassador to Serbia, Christopher Hill, said that it was important that everyone agree that the Community/Association of Serbian Municipalities must be formed, especially since it was foreseen by the agreement of 10 years ago, reported KiM radio.

He said at the “Future of the EU and the Western Balkans” panel at the Kopaonik Business Forum that it was a very long period, and that the agreements must be respected.

“The second reason is that you don’t have to be a historian or an anthropologist to know that Serbs have lived in Kosovo for centuries and have the right to decide their future. It’s a test for the authorities in Pristina to understand what must be done to meet European standards. It is very important that the government in Belgrade helps the Serbs to be successful as a community. I am optimistic that this can happen,” said Hill.

He added that he attended a panel on Kopaonik dedicated to the late Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic and said that among the participants he saw great sadness in all those who talked about him.

“We heard in the documentary what he said about aspirations towards the EU. We have to move forward; the past is the past. We should not only discuss problems, but also opportunities,” he said.

Hill estimated that the EU was the best thing that happened to Europe in the last few centuries.

“There are difficulties, but we need to focus on the goal. The EU is responsible for solving problems outside the EU as well. We often get tired of talking about bureaucracy, but everyone in Europe should strive for membership,” he said.

According to him, Serbia will become a member sooner or later, as soon as it fulfills all the requirements.

He noted that chapters and clusters are difficult to understand, but also that things must happen, and that the rule of law was an absolute condition for that.

“Strong institutions – show me strong institutions and you will have less corruption and vice versa. Ultimately, Serbia must have strong policies and resolve the issue of Kosovo, which is very difficult,” said Hill.