Intention of Pristina authorities to transform Trepca complex into a public company and place it under its direct control is unacceptable for Serb MPs in the Kosovo parliament, said Deputy Prime Minister in the Kosovo government, Branimir Stojanovic.
“It is totally unacceptable for us and we’ll try in next couple days to amend the draft decision, because in this way all that is in our interest is being annulled,” said Stojanovic to TV Most.
Kosovo government has adopted the proposal of amendments of the Law on Public Enterprises, which opens the path for Trepca to become Kosovo’s property. Decision was also made, through an extraordinary procedure, for this proposal to be placed on the agenda on 19 January.
“We’ll see how other ministers in the government will act, I hope they will understand that this is not good, and as said by the Prime Minister (Aleksandar) Vucic, it will reflect on the dialogue for sure, and that it is not good, in long terms, for anyone,” said Stojanovic.
“I hope that international community is following all what is happening. In any case they will be informed in details by our side. We expect understanding because this is a serious matter and without talks at the highest level this problems can’t be resolved,” warned Stojanovic.
On question whether it is possible to protect Serbian property in Kosovo, he replied that Kosovo Serbs must struggle, but the outcome is not completely in their hands.
“We need support of the Government of the Republic of Serbia,” said Stojanovic and added that without such support it won’t be possible to achieve much, because political establishment in Pristina is still not used on different position of Serbs who are in institutions. “We don’t want to change our way of acting, because we have commitments toward the people who sent us there to represent their interests, and not to talk and work something that will be pleasant and acceptable to someone,” said Stojanovic and assessed that there was some understanding so far, but not with regard to major topics.
He went on to say that the visit of the Serbian Prime Minister, Aleksandar Vucic, was very important and that citizens have heard two important messages.“That we have to continue to work together and that there is no alternative for it, and that all who are undermining that unity are not thinking good to our people,” said Stojanovic.
Commenting on media coverage of the visit of the Serbian Prime Minister to Kosovo, Stojanovic said that he expected that message of peace will be carried by Pristina-based media too, what they failed to do, unfortunately. He also made a question ‘when will that hatred end and what are we going to leave to generations that will come after us?’.
“No matter on how difficult and painful it is, we have to leave it behind us and find a common language,” said Stojanovic and warned ‘if we are not honest to each other and if we don’t resolve those open topics, both Serbs and Albanians will suffer, and that won’t be beneficial to anyone,” concluded Stojanovic.
