Three parts in Kosovo

Key points of the plan: Final status solution; widest possible autonomy of the province; there won’t be amendment of the Constitution; referendum on Kosovo is not needed and the plan would be observed as an obligation while signing the agreement on normalization of relations with Pristina. Platform for Kosovo and Metohija, prepared by the Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic, is close to its final version and should suggest the final status solution for our southern province, Novosti learned unofficially.

Novosti learned from President’s cabinet that this document , which has been prepared for months now, will define the position of Serbian province and will recognize three situations on the ground: the part where Serb-majority live, the part where Albanian-majority live and third one where Albanians are majority but there are municipalities with Serb majority.

“New document should be a proposal for the final status solution in the interest of all who live in Kosovo and Metohija, and intention is not for it to be a ‘thorn in the eye’ to anyone,” Novosti learned from Nikolic’s cabinet. New plan, according to paper’s well informed sources, provides  a widest possible autonomy for Kosovo and Metohija and will not require amendment of the Constitution, thus there is no need for the referendum either. The goal is to ensure the legal certainty in Kosovo and Metohija and regulated order, and to define the way of management which mainly refers to Serbs in the province.

“The platform will be the President’s view of solution of the status issue of Kosovo and Metohija. It should be the a joint stand of the President and the Government, and should be confirmed in the parliament. When it receives the confirmation it will become mandatory, particularly in the light of signing of the agreement on normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina. Belgrade is expected to present its view on how it sees future relations, and that widest possible consensus is reached with that regard,” sources from the cabinet explained.

A document that Nikolic works on, and about which he has consultations with the Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, is close to its final version, and state leadership will decide when would be the right moment to present it to the public. The issue of future status of Kosovo and Metohija must be settled on the basis of fundamental principles and norms of the international law, aiming at peaceful, comprehensive and final solution,” stressed paper’s sources.

Foundation of the Association/Community of Serb municipalities

A draft statute of the Association/Community of Serb municipalities (A/CSM) will be presented today at the joint meeting of representatives of ten Serb-majority municipalities in Gračanica/Graçanicë. These ten municipalities (North Mitrovica, Leposavić/Leposaviq, Zubin Potok, Zvečan/Zveçan, Gračanica/Graçanicë, Štrpce/Shtërpcë, Novo Brdo/Novobërdë, Ranilug/Ranillug, Klokot/Kllokot and Parteš/Partesh) will form the future A/CSM, whereas it is also expected that a conclusion is adopted at the meeting on their joint performance in future. This will practically lay out a foundation of the future association/community, which Pristina is persistently avoiding.

Constitutional law

A Constitutional law on Kosovo and Metohija, as announced earlier, will reflect reached agreements with Pristina, thus it is expected that it will, amongst other things, define and A/CSM. Constitution from 2006 provides that substantial autonomy of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija will be arranged with the special law which would be adopted following the same procedure as the one which is required for amendment of the Constitution. This procedure implies votes of the two-thirds of MPs, but a decision on referendum confirmation could be made as well.