The real reasons for the protest in Pristina are economic and social, not political, say the director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Marko Djuric. The property question will certainly be on the agenda of the talks in Brussels, said Djuric.
Marko Djuric, visiting the RTS morning news, said that 15 years nobody deals with accumulated problems in Kosovo.
“They talk only of independence, the great political objectives, and during that time the economy is going downhill. During this time, conducted were hundreds of predatory privatization. In the subtext of these demonstrations is poor socio-economic situation and dissatisfaction over narrow elite that completely hermetically holds the power,” believes Djuric.
Commenting on the request for dismissal of Minister Aleksandar Jablanovic, Djuric said that from the Serbian members of the Kosovo government is expected to achieve good results for the Serbian community. This was said, during recent visit to Kosovo, and by Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic.
“If in this segment they do not give any results, maybe someone from Belgrade will ask them to withdraw,” Djuric said, noting that the requirements stated in a protest in Pristina are directed against all agreements reached so far.
Albanian political leaders, says Djuric, need to sit down and attempt to resolve the dispute, “instead big national stories.”
Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa last night, in an interview with RTK, said that Pristina would not talk on “Trepca” in Brussels and that the ownership is clear.
Djuric said, however, that the topics of discussion would be what both sides “put on the table”.
Serbian side wants to talk about the creation of the Community/Association of Serbian municipalities and property issues, not only the Combine “Trepca”, but also on many other resources that are critical to the survival of the Serbian community.
“Addressing the issue of property is a key part of the core of normalization of relations in the province. We want to initiate the serious topics, over the next day we will have a preparatory talks for Brussels,” Djuric said.
The dialogue in Brussels, he says, “is only one step in the process of normalization of relations, to which Serbia is fully committed”.
Commenting trial against Oliver Ivanovic, the Leader of the Civic Initiative SDP, Djuric said that this situation, and the fact that no one has been prosecuted for crimes from the so-called KLA, leaves “a bitter impression” that it is about “a crying injustice.”
“One of the political leaders who, in impossible circumstances, had turned to the reconciliation, in a Kafkaesque process found himself behind bars. I hope that the trial will be fair and he will soon be free and with his family,” Djuric said.
