KDI: Citizens want transparency in Kosovo- Serbia

The Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) today organised the table in Ferizaj on the subject “Dialog Kosovo-Serbia: the view of the citizens of the Ferizaj region”.

Part of this discussion was Kosovo Assembly MP Sami Kurteshi, Medadain Hashani representatives from PDK, Albulen Noecaj from the INPO organisation, as well as journalist Africa Demiri and citizens of this region who debated the impact that Kosovo dialogue- Serbia has had in the lives of citizens of this region, as well as their expectations from the new phase of dialogue.

In this case, Life Krasniqi from KDI stressed that KDI's goal is to increase transparency of the dialogue process.

With the aim of increasing transparency and involvement of citizens in the process, KDI has organised continued meetings with deputies, citizens, media, civil society and the academy in all areas of Kosovo. These meetings have also targeted informing citizens about reached agreements that affect the lives of citizens. This way, KDI has demanded that the voice of citizens be heard so that their demands are integrated to the next phase of the” dialogue, she said.

MP from the Vetevendosje Movement Sami Kurteshi has stressed that dialogue has been a nontransparent process, not only to citizens but also to the Kosovo Assembly. The government, according to him, has consistently ignored the Parliament and has avoided internal discussions about this process. He added that it is important to have a cross-high dialogue as well as to specify the basic principles of discussion.

And Medain Hashan from the PDK has said dialogue with Serbia is a condition of the international community, which Kosovo must meet. He stressed that in spite of some negative aspects that he may have brought about dialogue, he has also brought much good as judicial functionality and police action throughout Kosovo, as well as the deployment of customsmen at border points in Jarinje and Brnjak. He has added that in the next phase of dialogue, they will demand that face-to-face topics be discussed, war damages, as well as they will ask the EU to force Serbia to pay off war damages. He also added that the PDK opposes ideas for partition, exchange of territories or autonomy of Serbs in Kosovo.

Meanwhile, Albula Noecaj executive director of INPO stressed that it is important to first clarify the status of agreements reached so far, before moving to the new phase of dialogue. She pointed out that lack of transparency and accountability have been and the greatest concerns of civil society regarding dialogue remain.

Africa Demiri, journalists and connoisseur of political developments, has stressed that Brussels' dialogue is a continuation of continued talks between Kosovo and Serbia since the 1990s. He added that since Kosovo's freedom efforts, society and leadership have been united, this has not happened during the statehood process. Furthermore, Demiri has stressed that it is necessary to have consensus between the political spectrum so that in the dialogue we can present ourselves unified.

And citizens of the Ferizaj region expressed disappointment with the lack of transparency and indignation with the behaviour of political parties and political leadership. They demanded that there be consensus of the political scene in order to go into united and prepared dialogue. They also demanded that dialogue not be used as a means to come to power, but to be addressed as a vital issue about which we should be united.

They also demanded that the Parliament adopt a resolution that mandates the president to dialogue, as well as to discuss the issue of the missing, raped women and other war damages.

This discussion was organised under the memorandum of co-operation signed between KDI and the Assembly aimed at increasing citizens' participation within Kosovo-Kosovo dialogue. Serbia, as well as empowering the government's supervisory role, with funding for the Swiss Embassy.