A journalist and former Editor-in-Chief of Belgrade-based daily Politika, Ljljana Smajlovic told RTS the US already got involved in Kosovo and Metohija issue, adding the letter President Vucic sent to his counterpart Trump is a logical move.
She opined Albanians would rather lose the north of Kosovo than to have Community of Serb-majority Municipalities and some “sort of Republic of Srpska” within their territory, that would have powers to decide on certain matters.
She went on saying that for the first time, since 2008 we have a situation where negotiation on correction of borders is possible, and it would not mean ethnic cleansing or crime against humanity, but it is possible as some sort of concession. She also noted Americans are saying Kosovo has no final borders.
Commenting on the EU role, Smajlovic said that the EU has no longer strong influence over Belgrade, or Pristina. She added the EU has lost its attractive power and is not ready to spend resources. “Ten countries from the Eastern Europe joined the block in 2004. It happened only 15 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. And now two decades have passed since Milosevic is not in power, and in Serbia we are still discussing when we could join the EU,” Smajlovic said.
Commenting on recent disagreements between Kosovo leaders, Smajlovic said it is a political game, while “Haradinaj is gambling.”
“You heard Veseli saying they would all bear responsibility, not only Haradinaj, if they do not do what Americans want. If the government fails, tariffs would remain, and Haradinaj can say he endured tariffs alone. There is a strong fight, it is the fight for the power in Pristina. Haradinaj is trying to win over his main opponent Thaci, who obviously enjoys support from Washington,” Smajlovic noted.
At the end she concluded that Pristina is concerned over Russia’s support to Serbia. “I have the impression some serious contacts between Moscow and Washington regarding Kosovo took place, and there is some level of agreement that things should change,” Smajlovic said.
