“It is required to create the political basis for the establishment of Community of Serbian municipalities (ZSO) by adopting the statute, which is only possible through political agreements and negotiations with the political force that will be the backbone of the future government in Pristina. I expect that participation of now legitimately elected representatives of the Serbian people in provincial institutions will contribute to direct talks between us and Kosovo Albanians about the things that were already discussed in Brussels. We appreciate the efforts of the EU to promote normalization, but the real normalization will come just at the moment when the important issues of life in the province will be agreed with the Albanians, without intermediaries,” said in an interview Marko Djuric, Director of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija.

Was in Brussels explicitly agreed that the Serbian List will enter the new Government of Kosovo, because the new prime minister, respecting the Constitution of Kosovo, could alone appoint the Serbian ministers? 

The constitutional and legal framework in Kosovo requires that the provincial institutions include representatives of the Serbian people whose parliamentary group won the most votes in the elections. Of course, the paper suffers everything. Still, I do not think that anyone in the international community, which undoubtedly has a dominating influence in Kosovo, would allow or encourage such a scenario. Without the participation of the Serbian list in political terms, as well in the terms of legitimacy, it is not possible to form a government.

EU Special Representative in Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar said that the ZSO will be “constituted when its statute will be acceptable to all.” What does it mean and who guarantees that the ZSO will actually be something more than Association of municipalities, as provided by Kosovo legislation?

For us it is important to have a dialogue about the future form and structure of the ZSO, within the talks on the formation of the provincial government. The Brussels agreement defines core competencies of the ZSO, and there is a good comparative international practice. In Europe alone, there are several hundred different forms of territorial organization. It was obvious that we would need to seek some su generis for Kosovo – unique solution when it comes to the way European institutions treat our province.

When is the deadline until which Belgrade must abolish all administrative districts and local self-governments in Kosovo?

For us establishment of the ZSO is priority. We will not allow that any position will be lost. We will not reduce the volume of investments in Kosovo, but also we would like that usefulness of these investments is thoroughly planned and to see the result of significant investments that Serbia allocate in the area of ​​Kosovo. These segments are defined by the Brussels agreement. Belgrade is turning towards normalization of relations with Kosovo, but will not at any stage of the process weaken the position of our people, or to leave them without support of the Serbian state.

Will the financial support of Belgrade to the Serbs in Kosovo, as it was said, be transferred through the Government of Kosovo?

We sincerely wish that the ZSO will be a user of funds from the EU, Belgrade and Pristina. The establishment of the Fund for North is an example of how a financial model could look like i.e. in one fund are distributed money from the EU, Belgrade and Pristina. For financing the ZSO will be necessary to find a model that will enable direct funding from Belgrade, Pristina and the EU. Only that can satisfy all parties involved in the process.

How do you comment on evaluations that Belgrade in Kosovo implements the policy of the Angela Merkel’s CDU, from the removal of the barricades in northern Kosovska Mitrovica to the support to Mustafa and Haradinaj? 

We have a great respect for Ms Merkel and all the major European and world politicians, but we implement our policy independently and absolutely nobody in the West, or the East, will dictate to Serbia its domestic politics and its relation to the issue that is of utmost importance. Today, in Belgrade’s policy towards Kosovo and Metohija one will never see the traces of a dictate, but traces of dialogue, seeking compromise, talks with everyone. We take into account the fact that since 1999, security and to the large extent civilian presence of Serbia do not exist on the ground, and due to such inherited difficult situation our policy is a product of our aspirations that the institutions of Serbia and the Serbian people survive and have the highest possible influence. Our wish in that process is that international community is not an opponent, but a partner. We also wish to, through skilful diplomacy, get the support of those who are the loudest promoters of Kosovo independence. Our policy is not a policy of listening and accepting orders, but the policy of finding the Serbian path and the future in Kosovo.

What the Serbian government responded to the open letter of DSS (Democratic Party of Serbia) representatives requesting that Belgrade determine the position about “institutional violence and arrests of Serbs in northern Kosovo”?

Beside the Serbian Government strongly condemned the fact that Oliver Ivanovic is six months behind bars without indictment, the PM in direct talk with the head of EULEX for almost half an hour spoke about Ivanovic issue and the actions against other people. According to our opinion it is very important that all conducted procedures are based on the law, and to respect the basic human and political rights. It is also important to respect the amnesty law, which is part of the Brussels agreement, which had previously been applied in many cases for Kosovo Albanians.

Who will be responsible for the deterioration of the security situation in northern Mitrovica after the removal of the barricades at the bridge over the Ibar River?

The story of the “Peace Park” is much more complex than it seems at first glance. Park replaced a barricade of sand and concrete, which was located at the entrance to the main bridge in Kosovska Mitrovca. Hundred meters on the left and right side from the main bridge, the traffic operates smoothly over the existing bridges. Across the main bridge pedestrians can smoothly pass, only is not possible that cars with high speed enter from the southern to the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica. Belgrade will not support any solution when it comes to the bridge in Mitrovica North, which does not meet the interests of the Serbian people in the north and that would open the anxieties related to the safety of people living in northern Mitrovica.

To which extent the announced changes of the Constitution of Serbia will be related to Kosovo and Metohija? 

There are no initiatives to amend the Constitution. There are some announcements about the need to amend certain parts of the Constitution relating to the areas that have nothing to do with Kosovo. There were no discussions on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija in the context of constitutional and legal matters. It is certain that, at the moment when the ZSO will be established, it will probably be needed in order to regulate its position in our constitutional system. Will it be by constitutional law, or by amendment to the Constitution, will be decided by people responsible for it.

Whose property Belgrade and Pristina should discuss in Brussels? 

It is absurd that we are in a position to talk about the use of our own property, on the territory of our southern province. This is due to the sad fact that since 1999 we are not the direct administration in Kosovo, and also the UN gradually transferred administration to the institutions that in meantime developed. Our luck is that Serbia saved all documents related to public, social and cooperative property in Kosovo. The documents of the Federal Fund for development of underdeveloped areas are also saved. The Fund still works under the same name and has information on all investments that Serbia and other republics invested in the territory of Kosovo. There are all documents on our property. Through discussions about the property we want to achieve economic self-sustainability of the ZSO.