Interview: Momir Stojanovic, president of the Committee for the control of the security services of the National Assembly of Serbia
In recent months we have been faced with unexpectedly large number of migrants from the Middle East and North Africa. How does all this reflect on Serbia and its security?
This is a major problem for many countries, including ours. I’m afraid that we have witnessed great migrations and changes in the demographic structure in many countries. Unfortunately, I fear that the European Council meeting scheduled for October this year, which will take clear positions and courses of action when it comes to migrants, will be held too late. When it comes to Serbia, in our country there are more than 83,000 migrants and they are mostly in transit to final destinations in an EU countries. Large and special problem is the disregard for the applicable laws on asylum seekers, according to which they are required to contact the appropriate centres for reception within three days. Migrants avoid such a legal option, and the competent courts for offenses gave up issuing of the misdemeanour fines. This brings the potential risk of possible criminal activities of individuals among the migrants, especially when they will be without money. Due to the fact that Hungary deployed additional 1500 soldiers on the border with Serbia, realistic assessment is that the directions of movement of migrants will soon be changed and directed towards Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
To which extent the Islamic State is threat to Serbia?
Currently, according to all indicators, IS does not represent a threat to the security of our country. But many, in my estimation, irresponsible and bombastic headlines in our media about daily terrorist acts, provoke and evoke such a possibility. We don’t need the sensationalism.
You are considered as one of the best experts on the situation in the southern Serbian province. What is the situation in Kosovo and Metohija?
The security situation in Kosovo is very complex, for years. The announced formation of the court for war crimes further complicates the situation. The commencement of work of this court caused additional distress in the Kosovo public opinion, which was reflected in the ban of entry to the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric, then scandalous trial and the farce in the case of Oliver Ivanovic and unfounded raise of the indictments against our citizens, soldiers and police. We should expect that in the future there will be more similar indictments, with the aim to create a balance between the inevitable lawsuits against the leaders of the KLA, and all for the purpose of calming domestic public. A particular problem is the delay in the Brussels negotiations and delaying in the formation of the Community / Association of Serbian municipalities. As a consequence, I expect a reduction of cooperation of Kosovo institutions in the negotiations on the stabilization of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija.
Indictment was raised also against you, you are on Interpol warrant.
Yes, unfortunately I am. These days, in Kosovo is possible to pay any false witness, who will falsely accuse any member of the Serbian army and police. I believe that creators of indictment against me are equally laughing to it together with people who ordered it. Last year, as President of the Board of Inquiry of the National Assembly for Kosovo, I went through the whole territory of the southern Serbian province. Nobody ever stopped me. And then, overnight, the alleged indictment arrived. I live for years at a known address, I am not hiding, and I never received a single summon. The only point is that someone needed to discredit me.
