To which extent a new document, announced by the Serbian President Nikolic, can go out from the framework of Brussels Agreement, whose full implementation is condition for continuing Serbia’s European integration?
Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) believes that document presents the upgrade of the process, which should prepare Serbia for all the surprises on the road to the EU. The opposition claims that it is a manipulation that will conceal the acceptance of the Brussels ultimatum.
Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic told reporters that he “talk with Nikolic about everything and that Serbia will remain in the constitutional framework, in regards to the issue of Kosovo”. However, President Nikolic had previously admitted that his first platform on Kosovo was not in accordance with the Constitution of Serbia.
“The new president’s platform, as I understand it, will be limited by the resolution, which was passed by the Serbian Parliament and adopted on the basis of the first Nikolic’s platform (primarily the position that Serbia will never recognize the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo). Based on the new platform, the Assembly will bring resolution, as a basis for agreement on a comprehensive solution for Kosovo, in order to avoid surprises and conditions, before entering Serbia in the EU,” explains Milovan Drecun, Chairman of the Committee for Kosovo and Metohija of the Serbian Assembly. Drecun categorically denies that the current authorities with Brussels Agreement recognized self-proclaimed state of Kosovo and argues that the negotiations are conducted in the status-neutral framework.
Goran Bogdanovic, former minister for Kosovo, believes the new platform is “absolutely unnecessary, because Belgrade de facto recognized the independence of Kosovo with Brussels Agreement “. He notes that the government must explain under which constitutional framework is solved the problem of Kosovo, because “it didn’t allow the Constitutional Court of Serbia to evaluate the Brussels Agreement (which includes all the decrees on the cadastre, registry books, diplomas).” Bogdanovic claims that it is already known that “a condition for opening negotiations with the EU on Chapter 35 will be the adoption of the statute of Community of Serbian municipalities (ZSO), which will be in accordance with the laws of Kosovo.”
According to Slobodan Samardzic, also former Minister for Kosovo “Nikolic’s platform is a great story for the public, because the government is facing an ultimatum – it cannot open Chapter 35 without signing a binding agreement with Pristina.” “Nikolic again, as in 2012 and early 2013, provides a platform on which the public will discuss and eventually the Parliament will adopt it. He initiated a new public manipulation as a justification for accepting the ultimatum of the EU. Brussels sees that they gave everything, even though they did not have to give. I was optimistic when I warned them in 2013 that they will give Kosovo for the date for accession to the EU. They gave Kosovo, but did not receive the date. Now it’s Chapter 35. This is the way that Brussels wants to solve the problem with the five states that have not recognized Kosovo’s independence, because without them a binding agreement between Belgrade and Pristina could not be implemented,” warns Samardzic.
Political analyst Dusan Janjic said that Belgrade so far accepted 20 Brussels agreements. “With these agreements Pristina was able to extend sovereignty over the entire territory of Kosovo. Regardless of Vucic`s statement, it is clear that current solutions from Brussels are not within the Constitution of Serbia. This document is dead, because it cannot solve the Kosovo problem. Formally and legally Brussels Agreement violates the Constitution of Serbia,” said Janjic.
Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and Dveri Movement announced that they will request from President Nikolic “publication of all transcripts and recordings of talks with Commissioner Johannes Hahn, in order to learn the full truth about the requirements of the EU regarding Kosovo”.
