Following the creation of new authorities, state leadership should submit a document on Kosovo and Metohjka to National Parliament. The new resolution on Kosovo and Metohija could be amongst the first strategic political documents adopted by the new Serbia’s parliament, state leadership confirmed to Vecernje Novosti.
Following the creation of Vučić’s government, it should, along with President Tomislav Nikolić, set a platform for the continuation of talks with Kosovo Albanians and submit it to National Parliament for adoption.
It should not be excluded that state leadership will try, in the period ahead, to present its view on the final solution for the status of Kosovo.
President Nikolic said that new document is needed since the government is faced with the most sensitive phase in negotiations with Pristina.
State leadership claims that the policy toward Kosovo should be reviewed after Pristina launched the initiative on the creation of the Kosovo armed forces, and following the shift in many circumstances surrounding foreign affairs.
The head of Serbia’s Parliament Council for Kosovo and Metohija and SNS official, Milovan Drecun, presumes that President Nikolić’s idea is that the new government should receive the mandate from the parliament for further negotiations with Pristina, meaning a framework in which the dialogue should be carried out. He told Novosti that there is an article at the end of the last resolution, which stipulates that the document is setting the leading guidelines and goals of the state policy that could be amended ‘only with the new resolution’: “A part of the existing resolution is fulfilled and some of it remains to be implemented. The new one could contain parts, which, for example, refer to Regulation on the Cadaster that was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court in order for solutions to be brought in line with the laws; whereas that new documents could also be a more courageous step forward in the sense of moving toward a final solution, where new ideas could be presented, eventually.”
Since the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), which was against the negotiations under the EU auspice, is not in the parliament, along with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which voted against the ‘harder’ policy toward Kosovo, a broad political consensus can be expected for new resolution.
Former head of the Belgrade negotiation team in dialogue with Pristina, and Democratic Party (DS) official Borislav Stefanović told Novosti that this party is ready to support the new document only if it would realistically reflect the agreements reached with Kosovo Albanians: “We expect authorities to clearly say what was precisely agreed, that is, to admit to the public that they agreed on a bigger number of Albanian judges and prosecutors in the judicial institutions in the north, and that municipalities south of the Ibar River are within the jurisdiction of the court in Kosovska Mitrovica. If that is not clearly stated in the resolution, it would only be an alibi for the new authorities to hide the real truth, and we will not support it.”
Predrag Simić, international relations expert, explained to Novosti that changes in foreign affairs’ circumstances, along with the developments in Kosovo and Metohija, are prompting a new resolution: “The reality is that so far the framework for the Brussels agreements is spent and exhausted, and the new negotiating mandate is needed.” Simić reminded that Pristina announced the creation of armed forces, which are not foreseen by Brussels agreement or by resolution 1244.
“Serbia has to provide new answers to the new reality. As far as the new status of Kosovo matters, I believe that the best thing for Belgrade, when dust has been raised over Ukraine by internationals, is to stick to resolution 1244. If we would quote Crimea, it could be a double-edged sword,” said Simic.
