By his two-day stay in Kosmet, the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić has sent an unequivocal and important message at a complicated moment when clearly very negative and strongly threatening messages are coming from Priština, while the international public has sent quite vague messages supporting the efforts to reach some new, flexible solutions through the dialogue, the Serbian Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović has estimated today.
In her statement for Tanjug, she has said that “Priština demonstrates a great capacity for threats of violence and invoking of its own sovereignty, yet shows no capacity for peaceful dialogue, let alone fulfilling of its undertaken commitments, especially at the international level.”
“Only truly sovereign states, such as Serbia, can and are able to carry out their previously undertaken commitments, even when we are not the happiest with their content,” Joksimović has said.
She has said that “the dialogue mediated by Brussels was chipped at that moment when Priština failed to fulfil its obligations on establishing the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM) by 4 August, while the EU has not ensured the implementation of what promised.” “With all this, it is clear that the international administration in Kosovo has failed to sow any seed of democracy within the temporary Priština institutions with which the EU has a contractual relationship, because, as far as I am aware, the Stabilization Agreement has not been suspended between the EU and Kosovo with an asterisk,” the minister has said.
She has also asked, “Who is actually the real authority in the so-called Kosovo, if the Priština Government says that it cannot secure the safety and rights of citizens living in Banja village in the territory of Kosovo, and cancels the visit of the key person in the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština”?
Joksimović has also recalled that “even after the inadmissible threats by Priština, Vučić still went to Brussels on Friday, and we see what were the conditions, created by the KLA veterans who are now political elite, under which he went to KiM.” “Of course, everyone in Europe is now thinking about themselves and preparing for the forthcoming European elections, so we are not in focus, but one must not close their eyes before this kind of rhetoric and actions by Priština. The messages about unalterability of the borders are fine, as long as we are referring to the correction of the borders, but it is, of course, unacceptable to change them by force,” the minister has added.
However, according to her, the possible suggestion here is that, if both sides reach some solutions by agreement, there shall be no obstacles under diplomatic historical pattern or under the international law.
“With all this, I am not sure that when we talk about borders, we are talking with the same perception in mind, exactly in accordance with the international law. However, judging by the reactions from Priština, they are not ready to talk about anything, while also not implementing the establishment of the CSM. Therefore, we need to persevere in our determination, seriousness, peaceful rhetoric and clear positions, and thus it is important to support the president of Serbia at the internal level because he is doing a good thing for Serbia,” Joksimović has said.
She has stressed that, by his visit to Kosovo, Vučić has sent “an unequivocal and important message” to all three addresses.
“The first message is for the Serbs who live in KiM, which I would say is the most important one. He assured them, with full statesman’s and moral responsibility, under the circumstances of violence and threats created by the Albanian KLA elite, and without any intentions and a need to profit politically from his stay in the Province, that Serbia shall support their survival and progress in Kosovo in various ways,” Joksimović has said.
“Through the dialogue, as the most acceptable peaceful way, we shall help them to tackle the issues that they face on a daily basis - from political and security to economic and existential ones. He confirmed this with his firm resolve to reach an agreement - no matter how impossible it seems, but also by announcing new investments and significant investing in the Serb-inhabited areas,” the minister has added.
“The second address”, according to her, would be Priština.
“Vučić sends a message of peace to Albanians, which they failed to understand and accept today. Vučić has also sent them a message of readiness and determination to reach a solution for the Kosovo issue through dialogue and compromise, by the models of dispute resolution that are more acceptable than any conflict that is not verbal,” Jadranka Joksimović has said.
Finally, she has stressed that, “by visiting the Province, the president communicated to the international community, and primarily to the EU - as the one responsible that guarantees for the implementation of the Belgrade-Priština agreement, that Serbia, as a sovereign and responsible European state on its road to EU membership, demonstrates by its behaviour that it contributes to the European security and stability in the region, and that it protects its state and national interests in a European and democratic way, yet consistently and decisively.”
“Statesmanship requires responsible care for the development and improvement of the living conditions of every individual. That is why statesmanship is difficult, yet not unfeasible, as the president has once again demonstrated, firmly determined to contribute to the well-being of each individual, since it is the only real requirement and a goal of the lasting and sustainable peace and achievable survival of Serbia, but also Europe,” minister Joksimović has concluded.
Source: Tanjug
Photo: Politika
