Freeze of Serbian List communication with Thaci on Belgrade's orders

The Serbian list has decided to freeze any communication with the president of Kosovo, because the president's policy regarding the position of Kosovo Serbs, as officials of this list say, is unconstitutional, anti-legal and at the expense of the Serbian people.

Through an open letter, which the Serbian List has sent to President Thaci, it protestes that the president is responsible for the Serb's poor position, because he has done nothing about forming the Association of Serb-run municipalities, as well as accusing him of interfering with Serb political issues in Kosovo. The Serbian list accuses President Thaci of pressure on the election process in the municipality of Partesh and that the Central Election Commission has cancelled the results from the first election circle in this predominantly Serb municipality, for controversial manipulation and purchase of Serbian List candidate votes.

Kosovo Parliament MP from the ranks of the Serbian List, Igor Simun, tells Radio Free Europe that this list will be a responsible partner in the work of all institutions, but that its primary interest is the best life of Serbs.

This letter aims to reach those who think we will easily pass on actions, which show the disrespect of Serb representatives in institutions, but also of the Serbian people in general”, Symish said.

But, Bekim Colak, chief of President Thaci's cabinet, tells Radio Free Europe that the Serbian List's letter is surprising and unexpected, which has not preceded any meeting and that the reasons mentioned on the paper are unstable.

According to him, the Serbian List's decision is surprising even to many members of the list, because it is considered that no debate has taken place on this decision. On behalf of President Thaci, Colak has expressed regret over the Serbian List's action and approach.

“I think that such a decision and this letter sent by the Serbian List and its representatives does not testify that its author or author is the Serbian List. However, I think the only author of this letter is the Government of Serbia, which has initiated and imposed such a decision and letter on political, tactical and strategic issues. This, of course, is not the first time political representatives of Kosovo Serbs are used, manipulated, exclusively for the needs of Serbia”, Colak says.

However, Igor Siqim stresses that the decision to freeze communication with the president is the decision of the Serbian List as a whole.

The most important is that even official Belgrade is completely disappointed with its behaviour with Pristina representatives, when it comes to meeting the Brussels Agreement”, Sinher said, adding that the first agreement on normalisation of relations is signed in Brussels in April 2013 by Hashim Thaci. But no step has been taken to this day for the formation of association.

But, Colak stresses that Kosovo -- better than any other country in the world -- guarantees equal rights for all communities. In terms of association, according to him, the concern of the Serbian List is valid. But, he says, forming association is a process that cannot be completed quickly.

Colak points out that there are many other agreements, which have not yet been implemented as a whole, and for which both sides have made obligations.

“Goodpo, procrastinating that happens in action, cannot serve any political subject, in this case, to make such absurd decisions, for allegedly breaking communication or co-operation with the most important institution in the Republic of Kosovo, with that of the president of the Republic of Kosovo”.

Colak adds that one of the reasons for such action by Belgrade and the Serbian List is the very fact that President Thaci is conducting intensive campaign to promote the transformation of the Kosovo Armed Forces Security Forces.

However, Colak says Kosovo's president maintains communication and co-operates with all representatives of Serbs who do not submit to Serbia's dictatorship.

Serbian recogniser of political developments in the country, Petar Miletic, speaking of Radio Free Europe, expresses the opinion that the Serbian List's decision to freeze communication with the president of Kosovo is an unintelligible decision. This is because, according to him, the office of the president is important, the source of power is not there but in Government.

“To protest that the Serb municipal community has not been formed, in order to stop communicating with the president of Kosovo, I think it is not appropriate and that there is another reason behind that. If they wanted to in a way push Pristina to form the Serb municipal community, there were other ways. First of all, they may have had to wait with the signing of judges and prosecutors, on the occasion of the start of court work in Mitrovica or leave the government, or threaten to leave the government, to deny the ruling majority. That would have some effect. Cutting off communication with President Thaci, seems to have another goal, rather than forming the Serb majority municipality”, Miletic said.

Regarding the Kosovo presidency's accusations that the Serbian List's decision to cut off communication with President Thaci is ordered by Belgrade, Miletic estimates that Belgrade's official behaviour in relation to the Serbian List does not represent anything new.