Minister for Communities and Return in the Kosovo government, Dalibor Jevtić, says that return of more than 200.000 of displaced Serbs must be priority in the work of all provincial governments. Whereas, more massive return would be only possible after the Association/Community of Serb municipalities is created.
From this reason Jevtić claims that petition of the leaders of Kosovo Albanian opposition parties, Self-Determination Movement, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo and Initiative for Kosovo, against the A/CSM is senseless.
“A/CSM is not against Albanians, since all who live in municipalities that will form this community will benefit from it. The fact that agreement was reached in Brussels, as the result of the compromise of two sides, shows that neither side was fully satisfied with what has been signed. Albanian opposition is against everything that is adopted or agreed by the Kosovo government. They are using a cheap demagogy, putting it in the forefront of alleged national vulnerability, since this is the easiest way to receive votes of Albanians. I still haven’t heard that, in that political struggle, they talk about economy, creation of work places, or burning issues of Kosovo society. It is certain that, with the Serbian Government, we will create better climate in regard to return, survival, security, education, economy, that is, all that has to do with the everyday life of Serbs in the province,” explained Jevtić in an interview for Belgrade-based daily Politika.
When asked about the obstacles for the return of displaced Serbs, Jevtić answered that it has to do with inconsistent implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, in the part that refers to providing safe return to all refugees and displaced person to their homes in Kosovo and Metohija.
He further said that the Serbian List coalition partners in the Kosovo government are declaratory supporting them, however nothing is changing on the field. Jevtić went on to say that when it comes to implementation of Kosovo laws, which are good, problem lies with the local population. He recalled an example of the agreement reached with local Albanians in village Mušutište in 2014 about the return of 15 families. However, he explained, following all later developments from the beginning of this year, that decision has not been implemented because local Albanian leaders claim that conditions are not ripe yet for the return of Serbs.
