Janjic: Serbian List ready and to participate in the Kosovo government (Dnevnik)
There are plenty of issues that need to be finished or started in the two or three talks between Belgrade and Pristina, if there will be some in fall in Brussels, then should be expected to define it until the end of the chapter 35 concerning Kosovo.
This means that there is a little chance that this year the chapter 35 will be open. The Minister in charge of EU says it is possible to open negotiations with the other chapter, maybe, but does not seem realistic to me given the "non paper" of Britain and Germany. So, it seems that the negotiations between Serbia and EU will wait for spring 2015th, provided that all these issues are cleared up and the other framework agreement is signed which requires Germany, assessed Dusan Janjic in an interview for Dnevnik .
So, what means the agreement of the Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic with Serb representatives on the participation in the government of Kosovo?
- This means that the agreement was reached with nine members elected on the Serbian list. The agreement means and that Serbian list will not make obstruction, which was announced, in constitution of Kosovo Assembly. I guess it's a signal and to Brussels and Pristina, that Serbian List is ready, if they have trouble creating majority, to enter into these discussions and the Government of Kosovo. In any case, it is an indication that the nine deputies will be involved in the work of parliament from the start.
It "arises” from the Brussels agreement?
- Yes, it is an indirect application of the Brussels agreement, given that it does not deal specifically with the parliamentary elections, but the Serbian government is expected to encourage Serbs to participate in parliamentary work. Another question is how will the parliamentary group - and again I draw attention to the fact that it is not the sole representative of the Serbs - be in the opposition, which is a model of action, or in the ruling coalition and the government, which is the second. A separate issue is whether the parliamentary group will listen to the government of Serbia, and not Kosovo government. According to this now the message is clear that they will coordinate with the government in Belgrade.
What does this move mean now when it comes to further European integration process and negotiations with the EU, where a key political demand, especially Berlin’s, is further normalization of relations with Pristina?
- I think that Belgrade now further made job more difficult for itself, but it's too late, although this was pointed out to them during local elections in Kosovo, to indirectly support more Serbian lists. Now Belgrade will be for Berlin and Brussels a "button for the pressure." Whenever something is wrong, even in the inner life of the parliament of Kosovo, when that Serbian vote is needed, there will be a lot of pressure on Vucic and the Government. In fact, with all the problems that Serbia has, it will have to deal with, so to speak, and the internal affairs of Kosovo, even in a part called the Albanian Kosovo.
Part of the Brussels Treaty is a community of Serbian municipalities. Your comment about the process of forming ZSO that has not yet started?
- Establishment of ZSO all the time actually was in the hands of Serbia and Serbs. They are the ones who should be the first to complete the constitution of municipalities based on the results of local elections in the north, then the municipalities should make the statute and start joining it. I am a big sceptic as regards to the formation of ZSO this year. Again, I’m going back to a firm stance, especially of Berlin and London, that there is no beginning of European negotiations until ZSO is formed.