MP in the Assembly of Serbia, Fatmir Hasani, from the Democratic Action Party, that is running the Bujanovac municipality, believes the vast majority of Albanians in the south of Serbia would support exchange of territories with Kosovo, Serbian media reported.

However, Deputy Mayor of Bujanovac municipality, Stojanca Arsic rejected such possibility as a bad and impossible option.

“If you would ask Albanians here in the south of Serbia if they support merging of the area, Preshevo Valley with Kosovo, the vast majority would reply positively. As it was the case in a referendum in 1992,” Hasani said.

Hasani is also certain that all Serbs in the north of Kosovo want to live within the state of Serbia, explaining that “everyone wishes to live with his/her own people”.

He told FoNet news agency that both Serbia and Kosovo would resolve the issues with their national minorities by exchange of territories, however, he remained reserved as how the international community would see such a move.

“International stakeholders maybe would not permit the exchange of territories, fearing a chain reaction, respectively similar requests that would follow in the region, but also across the world,” Hasani added.

Meanwhile, Arsic resolutely rejected this idea, referring to “clear stance of the international community”.

“Municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja are integral part of the state of Serbia, and Albanians living in this area are citizens of the Serbian state, in whose system they should integrate and achieve their rights”.

Arsic also warned on “domino effect” exchange of territories could have, provoking similar issues in the region and leading to destabilization.

He added that such idea in no way influence relations between Serbs and Albanians in the municipality of Bujanovac as “both are aware that such scenario cannot happen and this topic is mentioned in the public only when there is a need to divert attention from other issues happening in the south of Serbia,” Serbian media reported