In the most recent of Radio Free Europe’s talk show, „Most“ (The Bridge), Ilir Deda, the opposition MP in the Assembly of Kosovo, and Dusan Janjic, the President of the Forum for Ethnic Relations from Belgrade discussed whether Kosovo would be divided. They answered questions on whether the Presidents of Serbia and Kosovo, Aleksandar Vucic and Hashim Thaci, are holding secret talks on the partitionde of Kosovo, what is the role of Federica Mogherini in those talks, what Vucic implies by saying delimitation of Kosovo and Serbia, what is the role of Dacic and Vulin in the game on Kosovo, why Thaci promises that the Presevo Valley will join Kosovo, why negotiations on behalf of Kosovo are led by President Thachi, not Prime Minister Haradinaj, would the partition of Kosovo provoke instability in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia, why the European Union does not confirm that Vucic and Thaci are negotiating Kosovo’s partition, and what is the reaction of public to the partition. Below we publish a few segments from the discussion:
Are there secret negotiations happening between Belgrade and Pristina?
Ilir Deda: „I do not think these are secret negotiations. In the past 12 months, Thaci and Vucic met and discussed ethnic delimitation. These conversations were not conducted in Brussels alone, in the presence of Ms. Mogherini who supported it, but in some other Western countries, including the United States, where she spoke with some former diplomats.“
If it turns out to be true that Mogherini attended such conversations, she must be replaced
Dusan Janjic: „If it turns out that it is true that Federica Mogherini attended those talks, then the situation is very serious, because in that case she exceeded her mandate clearly defined by the resolution of the General Assembly, not to mention the principles of chapter 35 which relates to Serbia. This would be a serious violation of the rules of diplomacy and international norms. If Ms. Mogherini did this, she must be replaced. If Vucic and Thaçi did something else, and not just verified their hypotheses, they also emerged from the Brussels Dialogue format and swam in other waters. Many are involved and it is evident. They did not seem to have learned a lesson from Yugoslavia, the former USSR, and Eastern Europe. They seem to want to provoke ethnic clashes in the Balkans again.“
We have to stop this game of the two Presidents
Kosovo President Hashim Thaci says it is against the partition of Kosovo, but in order to be able to correct the borders, so that the Presevo Valley joins Kosovo?
Ilir Deda: „Thaci uses euphemism – border correction. An influential ex-European diplomat advised him to use that term instead of the word partition, because the word correction does not sound as bad as a partition. Thaci is very frivolous. He gives almost every day contradictory and illogical statements. He is politically isolated, since no political party in Kosovo, even his former party, supports any change in the borders. We from the opposition will soon send a request to the Constitutional Court to evaluate the position of the president who is making completely irresponsible statements that not only violate the constitution of Kosovo, but also widespread fear among Albanians living north of the Ibar and the Presevo Valley, as well as among Serbs living north and south of Ibar. We have to stop this game by the two Presidents who, if they succeed in their intentions, will cause not only the relocation of families and human victims in Kosovo and Serbia, but will destabilize the entire Balkans. Because the border between Kosovo and Serbia cannot be changed without affecting Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Not to talk about Eastern Europe.“
The idea of separating people and territories against Vucic has united the church, pro-Russian and pro-European opposition, but this game will not stop soon
Dusan Janjic: „In the introduction of Vucic’s idea of separating people and territories, everyone has his own task. Foreign Minister Dacic talks about partition, and Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin advocates changing the borders across the Balkans in order to stop great Albanian expansionism and imperialism. However, this strategy has already begun to get back to Vucic to revisit his head, because he has also united both the church, pro-Russian and pro-European opposition. Nobody wants war, nobody wants violent emancipation. Nevertheless, I do not think they will soon stop this game, although Vucic was clear at the last meetings in New York and told that the story of new borders had no passes in the new US administration, and the tolerant attitude of Germany has changed. I suppose that this game is now serving Vucic to organize extraordinary elections in an atmosphere of fear in November. When the whole game fails, Mogherini, if involved in all this, will be accused of the failure of the Brussels dialogue, and the two players will continue to rule in the status quo situation.“
Thaci has no the support of virtually any party, we live in a terrible time of reviving ideas that led to the wars and the breakup of Yugoslavia
Are territorial exchanges in place, so that Serbia renounces the Presevo Valley, and in return, gets the north of Kosovo?
Ilir Deda: „That, of course, is not in the game. This is Mr. Thaci’s spin. Unfortunately, we live in a terrible time when the ideas that led to the wars and disintegration of the former Yugoslavia are revived. Both the government and the opposition in Kosovo said „no“ to the irresponsible Thaci adventures. He can speak whatever he wants, but none of it will be able to be accomplished, because literally none it is supported by any political party in Kosovo. Now it is quite clear that without the mandate of the Kosovo Assembly, Thaci cannot continue the dialogue with Serbia in September. If Brussels and Ms. Mogherini insist that Thaci continues to represent Kosovo in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, then this dialogue will not be successful. Thaci cannot draw new maps, nor sign any agreement with Serbia without the approval of the assembly that will never give it to him. The statement of the Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj is very important, who said that the change of borders, correction or delimitation – whatever Euphemism is used – means a new war. This should be taken very seriously. I expect a clear position from the European Union and the United States, because I cannot believe that after 20 years of peace in the Balkans, they will allow the creation of states with ethnic borders, which would again result in human casualties.“
BG-PR tension generators are Thaci and Vucic, fears that they will cause a crisis before the fall, should not allow any incidents
Ilir Deda: „There have been no such tensions between Kosovo and Serbia for a long time as there are now. The generators of these tensions are the Presidents of Kosovo and Serbia. Unfortunately, we have the full silence of the European Union and European countries about what is happening in the Balkans. I am afraid that the two Presidents have planned that before their next meeting in the autumn, they will cause a crisis, in order to meet in September in some other circumstances. Therefore, no incidents should be permitted. We need a road map from Washington and Brussels on how to normalize the relationship. A roadmap for what can and cannot be, and not to say that in four to six months we need to get an agreement. In Kosovo, the situation is completely different than in Serbia. Unlike Vucic, Thaci has no influence here. He has no political control in Kosovo and will not have it, so Western countries should seriously think about who should represent Kosovo in the negotiation process. I would remind you that the Kosovo Assembly twice, 2011 and 2012, gave the mandate to the Kosovo government to conduct negotiations on normalizing relations with Serbia. It did not give it to the president, nor can it give him it under our constitution, because Kosovo is a parliamentary republic and full power is concentrated in the government.“
What Belgrade and Pristina are doing now leads to destabilization. The gentlemen to get sober and Mogherini to understand that with the help of Thaci and Vucic, she cannot become Prime Minister of Italy
Dusan Janjic: „We can only reach small steps in full normalization. I do not know why anyone in the West would hurry if Serbia entered the European Union in 2025 if it is not ready, and it is not. I do not see why the agreement on Kosovo should introduce Serbia into the European Union. Why would it not be the rule of law? In the last few decades, our biggest problem are the incompetent elites who do not understand the world around them, who are unable to devise development strategies of their small countries. Small states without a clear development strategy cannot progress. When they do not have a clear strategy, they act like a boat in the storm – waves throw them around. This is what Belgrade and Pristina are doing now to destabilize. Therefore, the gentlemen should be cut off and advantage should be taken of the days until the next round of negotiations in order to get out of the ideological rebellion. I suppose Ms. Mogherini himself will realize that she cannot become Prime Minister of Italy with the help of Thaci and Vucic. I believe that the autumn will be less hot and that the leaders will return to the implementation of what has been agreed. First of all, it is necessary to discuss the Statute of the Community of Serb Municipalities, so that they then deal with the freedom of movement and employment, by recognizing diplomas – and not listing what they signed, and they were signed, not Mr. Deda and myself.“
Thaçi and Vucic did not raise their hands from violent scenarios, but the public is awoken, we all have a lot of instability and chauvinistic rhetoric
Ilir Deda: „Normalization of the relationship is a terribly complicated process for which much patience and serious work needs to be done. We cannot go forward with figures like Thaci, Vucic and Dacic. Vucic and Dacic are Slobodan Milosevic’s students – this is especially noticeable in the past few weeks, and Thaci is the most responsible politician in Kosovo. On the other hand, representatives of the West seek to reach an agreement within four to six months, but they do nothing to make this happen because we see that some countries have different attitudes about what the normalization of relations means. No need to hurry. It is better to negotiate for 18 months, even for two years, in order to reach an agreement that will open the prospect of relations between Serbs and Albanians. We must not allow irresponsible Presidents to experiment with our lives. I was very encouraged by the reaction of the public in Kosovo, but also in Serbia. For the first time we have people of different ideologies united against the destabilizing scenarios agreed by Thaçi and Vucic. It stopped the unrests that were announced. I believe that Thaçi and Vucic did not get their hands on their script, but the public is awake. We all have a lot of instability and chauvinistic rhetoric, there are a lot of irresponsible leaders who think that cheap turbofolk nationals can mobilize people, while at the same time their societies are clamoring for economic turmoil and crime. I deeply believe that such people and such kind of politics came to an end in both Kosovo and Serbia.“
Omer Karabeg: In conclusion, will there be partition of Kosovo?
Ilir Deda: „It will not. There will be no partition of Kosovo, there will be no correction of the boundaries, and there must be no instability and migration of people.
Dusan Janjic: „And my answer is – will not.“
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