„We publicly address you due to our request for admission into the Russian Embassy in the wake of the upcoming separatist elections in the southern Serbian province. You did not answer our first request, and after our second, you said that you did not have time,“ the opposition movement ‘Otadzbina’ from the north of Kosovo wrote in an open letter to the Russian ambassador to Belgrade, Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko. They requested clarification on Russian policy towards Kosovo. Otadzbina also accused the Russian embassy of supporting the „criminal, corrupt and dictatorial“ government in Serbia.
The opposition movement ‘Otadzbina’, which is mostly made up of former members of DPS (DSS) (Democratic Party of Serbia), wrote that they want to arrange a meeting at the Russian embassy in order to address the former Russian top representative in Kosovo, Andrei Shogorov’s „active lobbying“ among the Serbs to (allegedly) run for Kosovo elections.
This movement also recalled that lobbying and participation in the elections were accompanied by the subsequent departure of Srpska Lista officials, that is, Kosovo MPs to the Russian Duma.
„We protested because it was contrary to the legal logic that the Russian Federation does not recognize the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo but nevertheless welcomed its MPs, even if they were Serbs. Maybe the fact that they were Serbs makes the whole thing worse,“ they underlined.
The opposition movement revealed that Kharchenko replied that he „could not receive them“ as they are „an opposition movement.“ On the other hand, Kharchenko himself „excluded any interference with the domestic politics of the host country.“
„God grant it may be so, given that a large number of Russian state officials attend the events of the Serbian Progressive Party,“ Otazbina stressed.
They also recalled that the Dveri movement received a similar response when they requested admission into the Russian embassy, adding that the SNS official Vladimir Djukanovic informed the public about this. Djukanovic allegedly said that Bosko Obradovic (the founder of Dveri movement) „cannot“ be admitted.
„It is strange that the Serbian Progressive Party is deciding who should be admitted into the Russian embassy. We are also surprised by the Serbian Progressive Party’s knowledge of correspondence at the Russian embassy. It wouldn’t hurt for you to inform the Serbian public that it is only open to supporters of the Aleksandar Vucic regime, but not to those who are his political opponents. In this way, you would save the Serbian citizens’ time and effort,“ Otadzbina statement said, recalling that Kharchenko’s predecessor, Alexander Chepurin, had the same approach, which is why he was allegedly „awarded a seat on the NIS’s Board of Directors.“
What is the real stance of Russian policy on Kosovo?
According to Otadzbina, the previous ambassadors, Konuzin and Alekseyev, took an opposite approach and were “willing to talk with citizens of different political beliefs.”
“Are you really serious with your hope in the honesty of the current regime in Serbia towards the Russian Federation?
We think you are going down the wrong way because the days of this government are numbered. The government in Serbia is criminal, corrupt and dictatorial. We would not like Russia to make the same mistake as it did with Montenegro. It supported the separation of Montenegro and its regime, and then one morning it (Montenegro) became a member of the NATO. Judging by the way they rule, the regimes in Serbia and Montenegro are like twin sisters,” Otadzbina wrote in the open letter to Kharchenko.
They also underlined that they want admission to the Russian embassy to get clarification on „what is the real stance of Russian policy towards the southern Serbian province“.
„Some Russian officials, including you in your last interview, say that Russia supports the resolution of Kosovo’s status in accordance with UNSCR 1244. You immediately declared that Russia will support everything Belgrade and Pristina agree upon. As the Serbian president wants a delimitation with the Albanians, that is, to renounce most of Kosovo and Metohija, which is contrary to UNSCR 1244, you cannot at the same time support the integrity of Serbia and the splitting of Serbia,“ they argued, emphasizing that separating most of Kosovo means that this part of Serbia will join the NATO, which is „neither in Russia’s nor in Serbia’s interest“.
„The People’s Movement of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija, ‘Otadzbina’, will continue to share Russophile views. The ambassador’s role is transient, as the power in Serbia itself is transient. But the friendship and closeness of the Russian and Serbian people will remain for all ages. Whatever we do, let God help us“ – Otadzbina concluded.
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