Representatives of several Serb non-governmental organizations from Kosovo discussed today in a debate organized in Caglavica whether reactions and condemnations from the civil society have an effect, KIM Radio reported.

Centre for Peace and Tolerance Director, Nenad Maksimovic said “it became politically incorrect to speak out and publicly criticize representatives of the authorities, being it on local or central level, with an opportunism prevailing which is the worst thing.”

Maksimovic further added if an individual would speak publicly he would probably face certain pressure, but if organizations would act in a synchronized manner and more people express disagreement over certain decisions, events and processes it would definitely help.”

Maksimovic also noted an absence in the reactions of the vast number of nongovernmental organizations from the north of Kosovo regarding the murder of Oliver Ivanovic, saying “it represented a continuation of absence of reactions on any kind of events in Kosovo.”

Youth Volunteering Centre Sinergija Executive Director, Stefan Veljkovic said that the condemnation of Oliver Ivanovic murder would change nothing, KIM Radio reported.

“Since 1999, we had more than 1050 ethnically motivated incidents on the main bridge in Mitrovica. Should Sinergija condemn publicly each ethnically motivated incident or whatever that took place, and what effect it could have? I think weak or none,” Veljkovic said

Meanwhile, TV Mir Director Nenad Radosavljevic claims the system of values in the north of Kosovo has changed.

It made “intellectual capacities of non-governmental sector to adapt patronizing attitude towards the authorities and politics (…), to get the money from the authorities and engage in hedonism, respectively to enjoy the money obtained based on some work.”

The debate on the situation of the civil sector in the north of Kosovo was organized by Media Centre in Caglavica and supported by UNMIK.