Youth see no future in Kosovo (Danas, Politika)
The views of the citizens in the north of Kosovo are divided when it comes to the Brussels dialogue and the most contradictions about the question of the formation of the Association/Community of Serb municipalities (ZSO), these are the results of the opinion poll, conducted by several portals and several non-governmental organizations under the auspices of the Kosovo Foundation for Open Society.
"More than half of respondents had negative responses regarding the Brussels agreement, those who oppose, see the process of negotiations as treason and capitulation, and a step towards an independent Kosovo," writes Politika.
"The same number of respondents believe that the dialogue in Brussels is good for local Serbs, because it will lead to a compromise, a step to a better life, reconciliation and coexistence," said journalist of KoSSev, Ana Marija Ivković explaining that the research was implemented over the internet and that six polls, so far implemented, had the Brussels agreement for the basis.
Presenting the results of the project "Citizens of north publicly about the Brussels agreement", she says that among respondents from all four municipalities in northern Kosovo - Zvecan/Zveçan, Zubin Potok, Leposavic/Leposaviç and northern part of Mitrovica - there is a noticeable fear on whether the ZSO will be formed at all.
If it happens that the Community finally comes to life, respondents expect that it will be conditioned with the international phone code for Kosovo, the establishment of an independent energy system in Kosovo, and the formation of Kosovo's army.
Stefan Veljković from the Educational Club Synergy stressed that the study "Young people wonder", conducted for the first time in all four municipalities in northern Kosovo after a quarter of a century, showed that young people are not interested in the Brussels agreement or political parties.
He says the study has found that young people do not approve of the decisions, made on their behalf, in Belgrade, Brussels and Pristina and do not see their future in Kosovo.
He points out that 81 per cent of young people want to leave Kosovo because they do not see a future in the city where they live.
A third of them plan to leave Kosovo for ever, or to go to Belgrade or abroad, 42 per cent wants to do it for a longer period of time, while 25 per cent plans to do it for a shorter period of time.