Official Belgrade argues that creation of the Kosovo army can’t be linked with creation of the Association/Community of Serb municipalities. One of the options would be an agreement on the regional command for the north.
Transformation of the Kosovo Security Forces into an army was not a topic in the ongoing dialogue in Brussels, thus this issue can’t be linked as condition for the creation of the A/CSM, said in the Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo and Metohija while reflecting on speculations in Pristina that Kosovo Serbs should first vote for constitutional amendments referring to the creation of Kosovo army in order that Albanian parties support creation of the A/CSM.
“It is clear that army can’t be established without the votes of Serb MPs in the Kosovo parliament, and if Albanian partners convince them that such formation is in the interest of Serbs, what would be the fulfillment of their political goal, but such thing is not realistic,” said in the Office for KiM.
The proposal on Kosovo army was drafted and by the previous government, however in order for it to be adopted votes of the two-third of non-majority representatives in the parliament is required, what is the actual reason why it is not yet on the agenda.
Exactly form this reason the Serbian List could be in position of a blackmailer, says analyst Dusan Janjic. “For its votes for the army, and creation of the special court, the Serbian List should request guarantees that the statute of the A/CSM is adopted,” said Janjic and added that signing of a memorandum with EULEX could also be requested, in order that Belgrade deals with cases involving Serbs living in Serbia proper.
The issue of armed forces, according to Janjic, could be arranged following the model of the police command in northern Kosovo, bearing in mind that army is sensitive issue in symbolic terms, along with the security and psychological ones, since it emerged from the Kosovo Liberation Army.
The Mayor of Gračanica/Graçanicë, Vladeta Kostic, says that setting new conditions that are not part of the Brussels Agreement appears to be a practice. “I see the entire story about the army more as a ‘check’ of the pulse and compensation of political scores lost by Albanian parties due to the creation of the special court,” said Kostic.
