Serbian Lawyer: Common People Need to Understand What Their Benefits from the Negotiations Are

• 06.19.2018, 18:43
•  Europe,  World,  Interview

"Armedia" IAA presents an exclusive interview with Pavle Dimitrijevic, a lawyer from Belgrade. From 2010 Pavle was the Executive Director of Bureau for Social Research (BIRODI). Until June 2016 he was member of the civil society working group for Chapter 35 (EU negotiation process) regarding process of negotiations Serbia - Kosovo (National EU Convent).

- How do you assess the current situation of the Kosovo conflict settlement?

- Kosovo conflict has a very-very long history and there is no easy solution for both sides. If you are talking about the negotiation process in the last 15 years I can say that there is progress, but there is also need for common people to understand what the real benefits, outcomes are for them from the negotiation process. One of the crucial benefits is the fact that war or any kind of direct conflict is finished. So we cannot speak of any direct confrontation between Serbs and Albanians.  Now we are taking about the solutions for concrete problems such as property rights, how to secure borders, freedom of movement, access to justice. So the war is not any more option. This is the most important thing now. The second important thing is that, for sure, the dialogue will continue at different levels.

- What are the main controversial points between the sides?

- According to the Brussels agreement, Kosovo should establish the association of Serbian municipalities, which means that a new legal entity will be formed with the representatives of all municipalities where Serbs are majority. Around ten municipalities in Kosovo will be united, but we don’t know on which way. For the Serbian community the preferred way is to be more independent from Pristina and more dependent on Serbia in terms of health, education, financing, and decision-making. The Albanian community is afraid that in that way that part of Kosovo will be divided from the rest and that will turn into another expression of separatism and conflict. Now there is a big debate between the both sides and inside the both societies how to solve this issue. I strongly believe that during this year some solutions should be found, because the EU representatives also stress the fact that Kosovo should somehow establish the association of municipalities especially because those agreements regarding the association were adopted five years ago. Although there is an obligation form it Kosovo simply has not done it yet.

- Is there any possibility of new escalation?

- From my point of view there is no possibility of a new conflict. There is a possibility for some incidents especially in the northern part of Kosovo; because in the northern part of Kosovo there are four municipalities with Serbian majority and they are, in practice, independent from the rest of Kosovo and the influence of Pristina on the north is under a big question mark. So having in mind all this regarding the association of municipalities, there may be some isolated incidences or cases of physical violence in the north between the Serbs and Albanians, but I cannot really see any possibility for a bigger war solution.

- During the recent year, what changes in the public mood have you witnessed, both positive and negative?

- Well in the public discourse I could say that even from the Serbian side there is a kind of understanding that the negotiations are really important, that the dialogue does not have an alternative, as well as that Serbia should be a part of the final solution and compromise. I think that common people, ordinary citizens understand it well, especially because there are other problems such as poverty, poor economic situation, level of democracy is also under a big question mark. So people are not happy in Serbia at all and Kosovo conflict is another problem for them. So I think that there is a positive movement in sense that the dialogue is necessary and some kind of compromise is also necessary.