Confession for partition of Kosovo is preparations for new war

Interview for the Belgrade newspaper DANA with journalist Snezana Congrad

1. How did the state leader of Serbia interpret statements so that during the Brussels process the two sides should gain something, be satisfied?

The negotiations in Brussels are asymmetrical. Serbia has not recognised Kosovo, the European Union (BE), which is mediating, has an executive competency mission in Kosovo, these negotiations are being made only for Kosovo's internal issues. In these unfair negotiations Serbia first released ethnic decentralisation in Kosovo, where Serb majority municipalities were established, while later the Serb municipal community as the third level of power in Kosovo. “The Union of the Serbian Communists” would be a kind of Serb republic in Kosovo, but it turned out that in 23 articles it violates the Kosovo Constitution. Since this project is actually dead, Serbia now says it must gain something from these negotiations. This testifies to Serbia's real policy goal, to gain territories through the Serbian population wherever this is possible. Our Republic is not for trade. We fight for the full sovereignty of Kosovo, not for that sovereignty to be shared with Serbia.

2. Much is being talked about dividing Kosovo, changing territories, northern Kosovo, for southern Serbia respectively. It is said that the Kosovo and Serbian sides are secretly negotiating for this.

) There have been different ideas about division and exchange of territories, but these are harmful themes with unaffordable consequences. These ideas come from authoritarian politicians in Serbia who think that territory is private property of rulers, not the land of citizens of the state. authoritarian politicians don't accept the Republic, because they don't understand it first. They're goods dealers. For them, everything is a commodity whose value is calculated. We remember how Milosevic and Tudjman traded. And finally more than dividing and changing territories, we gain the division and expulsion of people and people. Talking about division and changing territories means preparing for new warfare. Equal civic rights and reciprocity in national rights, along with economic development focused on employment, especially of young people and women, is the way to get us out of the crisis and will enable progress.

3. How do you see the role of European officials in the process? The impression that Aleksandar Vuciq has EU support for what he is doing about resolving the problem in relation to Kosovo.

) The EU has politically hurt Serbia by looking at it in the middle of its fingers not allowing an animation of it to Russia. Serbia has skillfully exploited its proximity with Russia, to extract favors from the West. Serbia has targeted all agreements with Kosovo: mutual recognition of university diplomas, construction of border crossings, cadastral registers, the elimination of parallel structures, and to Kosovo's membership in the European energy network and the world organisation for education and culture, U n NESTO. On February 6th of this year, the European Commission has published its strategy for expansion in the Western Balkan countries. According to this EU strategy, it has divided countries into four categories, putting Serbia in the first category, already Kosovo and Bosnia, as countries which have largely suffered from Serbia's politics, have placed them in the last category. Integration of the Western Balkans makes sense only if it is realised for all countries in the package, together and at the same time. Otherwise, Serbia's priority will enable Serbia to block Kosovo, but other countries like Albania, Macedonia and Bosnia.

4. In Serbia nationalists criticise Vuciqi because they think she will accept Kosovo, as long as anti-nationalists suspect such a outcome, desiring, and criticising Vucinqi for not doing enough in this accession. How do you comment?

Power in Serbia is aware that before Serbia enters the EU, it will be forced to accept Kosovo. Germany's Foreign Affairs Minister Zigmar Gabriel, during his visit to Pristina, stressed this a few days ago. I think Vucciqi wants to reach some kind of national consensus on the decision, not make that decision alone. He would thus take his responsibility away from himself until he would at the same time seem constructive. But, meanwhile, it also wants Kosovo's internal division, the Kosovo presidency, respectively. Serbia wants no choice. For Serbia, the problem is the solution. Because that way the weak state of Kosovo will always feed the hegemonic appetites of the elite of Serbian power.

5. How do you see the solution to Kosovo's recognition problem by the European states that have yet to do so?

) These states, from their different reasons, have refrained from recognising Kosovo, but I don't think they are against Kosovo as a state. I think that the internal construction of the state of Kosovo and its efficient functioning and economic development, as well as membership in international organisations, will contribute to Kosovo being recognised by those states as well.

6. Is reconciliation between the two peoples possible by your opinion, and the interruption of patience? We have the newest research showing that, despite all that happened during the war, Kosovo Albanians are still more willing to live together with citizens of Serbian nationality, some of them would create marriage, create societies, and also live together. How do you comment?

The problem was not started by the unwillingness of the peoples, but by the unfair politics of the Serbian state, during various historical stages, their extenuating aspirations, with Kosovo's occupation, the brutal power and oppression of Albanian individual and collective rights. National differences have not caused conflict, but conflict of different interests has been shaped in national differences as well. Life in freedom and the fulfillment of equal rights, whether national or citizen, avoids reasons for inadequacy or hatred. Although we're culturally different, we have many things in common, like people, social and political beings, who need peace, development, solidarity, justice, social protection, etc.

7. In this opinion, Kosovo's strong resistance to the KLA's war crimes tribunal in Kosovo is known, which would have to be initiated. What do you think about establishing this court? Do you think this court will contribute to justice?

The Special Court, which has been established for Kosovo, is unfair and discriminated against. This is certainly the only one-ethnic court in the world, which is both nominally and norms. Only Albanians, KLA members, will be tried. We actually need the strengthening of Kosovo's judicial system, we need local courts, in which criminals and perpetrators will be tried regardless of national affiliation. Kosovo has had the UNMIK mission, then EULEX, KLA fighters have been tried at The Hague Tribunal. So why the Special Court, another special court? We need normal local courts, which run politicians for crimes without compromise, and no more international special courts that handle war crimes just to discipline corrupt politicians.

8. What would your order be to the citizens of Serbia, who under heavy media propaganda, living conditions, hiding and manipulation with the truth how the role of the then state leadership of Slobodan Milosevic's regime has been, even furthermore, think Serbia has been innocent during the Kosovo conflict and as a people has become a great injustice?

Serbia must face its past in order to move forward. You can't drive without looking at the revisor. Citizens of Serbia must be told the truth and they must face all the evil deeds Slobodan Milosevic's regime has done in their own name, as well as them. Citizens of Serbia should think that when Milosevic caused them such harm, what has he done to Albanians? But this is not an ideological situation. In Serbia more than 85% of the Parliament make up the rightist parties. I would like to see in Serbia another political trend, the flow of social democracy, with leftist orientation, which is currently being suppressed, the heirs of Svetozar Markovic and Dimitrije Tucovic, representatives of the working class, students, women, who will be able to lead Serbia in the 21st century and bring it true and just peace with its neighbours and prosperity to all its citizens.

9. Oliver Ivanovic's murder has not yet been resolved, even though it has been a long time since the assassination. Are you thinking that the investigation is procrastinating and what is the cause of this procrastination?

Ivanovic's murder is a political score, which has occurred for two possible reasons which do not exclude each other. The first one, Serbia will show and testify that it has power over the north and that no one ever thinks the north of Kosovo can meet Kosovo, that Serbia has power there with its security structures, considering the professionalism with which the murder was committed. In northern Mitrovica there are cameras everywhere, but nothing came out of it. Ivanov was not killed by an angry individual but by a cold - blooded organization. The second explanation is that Ivanovi has been killed because he has, however, been involved in war crimes, some Albanians have identified him in the trial as a member of the paramilitary forces during the war and later as the leader of the bridge guard, so he has been able in the future to witness these crimes. It is possible that they eliminated him as a potential witness, even more so that he has been in bad relations with Vucinqi and, at times, better with internationals. Paradoxically, but only at first sight, the criminal is also a witness.

10. In some part of the opinion in Kosovo, you are named nationalists, like one who is not ready for compromise and overcoming the current situation. Is that true and by this impression?

I am a fighter for civic, national and social rights of my people, our state, but also of all peoples, and other peoples. Because I live and work in a certain context, it makes me look like a romantic nationalist, although I've always fought against chauvinism. The self - determination we seek is not the self - determination of freedom over others, but the self - determination for equality with others.