After years-long absolute political dominance of Srpska Lista, the Kosovo Serbs could soon be getting a new political party.
A former official of the largest Kosovo Serb party and one of its founders – Branimir Stojanović and the leader of the civic initiative “Za Zubin Potok,” Milija Biševac, plan to found the Serbian People’s Movement.
This party will be an alternative to Srpska Lista, the duo says, adding that by no means will it be an opponent of Serbia as a state, although they note that they do not have the support of official Belgrade for this plan, nor are they looking for it.
„The Serb people feel completely beheaded at this moment. I feel like we have lost all the individuals who should lead the people and our politics. We decided to talk and create a new party -the Serbian People’s Movement, which would act in line with and represent the interests of the citizens in the future,“ Biševac and Stojanović revealed in an exclusive interview for KoSSev.
They claim that they have no contact with Srpska Lista, although they are aware that there are ongoing personnel changes in the leadership of this party.
„They didn’t contact us, nor would we like to have contact with them,“ Biševac alleged.
„For a long time now, no one in Srpska Lista has been involved in politics, instead, they dealt with their own interests, and what we are doing now will probably be recognized as something that can threaten their interests,“ added Stojanović.
They claim that they and their future comrades, about whom they didn’t want to reveal details for now, will offer new solutions and fight against the „bad“ or:
„Systemic corruption in all institutions – Kosovo or Serbian, wherever Srpska Lista governs or has governed,“ they say.
According to Stojanović, millions of dollars were allegedly spent in environments where the investment is not recognized.
Something that destroys all our chances to make life better
An alternative to Srpska Lista, but not an opponent of the Serb state
Stojanović revealed that it is his personal commitment to bring people into politics. „We want to fight for the right for Serbs in Kosovo to engage in politics,“ he emphasized.
When reminded that he was one of the founders of SL, i.e. the SNS branch in Kosovo, Stojanović states that he fought and stayed part of the party as long as he believed it made sense.
„I fought for Serbian national interests within SL as long as I believed it made sense. The moment I realized that it is no longer a political organization, but only a company that is managed for financial interests, above all control, that is the moment I clearly came out against it because I saw that something had to be done, realizing how destructive the consequences are for the people if this continues,“ Stojanović stressed.
Stojanović and Biševac describe the Serbian People’s Movement as an alternative to SL but by no means an opponent of the Serbian state.
„We have to have coordination with Belgrade, it is our home country, but we also have to make Belgrade recognize people who are really valuable and who have something to say,“ says Biševac.
He announced that they spoke to political figures from the opposition while refusing to specify with whom exactly.
„Because we think that it is really time to create an authentic policy for the Serbs, for those who live here, for their voice to be heard, and for us to decide our own destinies, and not for our destinies to be shaped behind closed doors in Belgrade,“ Biševac stated.
Although they claim they have no support from Belgrade, Stojanović points out that they want to communicate with everyone, including Belgrade.
„Our desire to engage in politics stems from the basic need to save those closest to us because we see that life around us is falling apart,“ claims Stojanović.
Kosovo Serbs need a new path
„Severe depression, disappointment, anger, enormous dissatisfaction and a sense of hopelessness, defeatism with no end in sight“ – Branimir Stojanović shared his point of view of the current state of Serbs in Kosovo.
„There is a huge need among our people to be at least shown some new path they can take. In this total chaos that reigns, people no longer see any chance. Our biggest challenge is to actually encourage people that it’s worth fighting for.“
What is the new path?
Stojanović reminds that in the previous decade and longer, the parties of Serbs in Kosovo were at two distant and mutually opposed sides; one party exclusively under the control of Belgrade, while the other – the former SLS drew its strength exclusively from Pristina, that is, from the Kosovo authorities. Stojanović also reminded that some members of SLS joined Srpska Lista in the meantime.
Contrary to this, he claims that the Serbian People’s Movement will have an authentic political expression.
„We are people who want to fight to survive in this area with dignity, the way we are, by preserving our identity, not renouncing anything that we are, not agreeing to be humiliated, and remaking ourselves as per the desires of someone in Pristina, but to preserve what we are and to improve the life around us.“
The party will not divide Serbs into north and south, they emphasized.
„As it is defined in the name itself – the people’s party, we want the people here to raise their voices and present their ideas,“ said Biševac.
From Monday, they will start collecting signatures and submitting the official request for party registration. In order to do so, they require 500 signatures. They are currently working on the establishment of municipal committees.
On the elections…
When asked about participation in the possible elections in the north, the interlocutors did not give a concrete answer, leaving the possibility of their participation open. Biševac emphasized his dissatisfaction with the presence and behavior of the special police in the north. He also recalled that Srpska Lista itself originally listed the withdrawal of the special forces from this area as a condition for their participation in the elections, only to abandon it in the meantime, and start calling for the organization of elections.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
