Serbian List MPs continue to play opposition in Parliament

Kosovo Government spokeswoman Donjet Gashi tells Radio Free Europe that Prime Minister Haradinaj is constantly contacting representatives of the Serbian List and inviting them to return to Government.

The government of the Republic of Kosovo is continuing discussion or communication with representatives of the Serbian List in Government. So far there is nothing official about their final departure. Prime Minister Haradinaj has called on them to return to their duties as ministers and to other ruling positions. Meanwhile, working at these ministries is continuing with other carriers. It means, there is nothing definite and final regarding the departure of the Serbian List and on the other hand, the prime minister and Government are continuing to have consultation and communication with them, to return to office”, Gashi said.

On the other hand, representatives of the Serbian List have not wanted to comment on whether they are negotiating with the Government of Kosovo for return to office, nor for the fact that ministers appointed by the ranks of the Serbian List, however, are seen continuing their work even after the official declaration of this subject that they have abandoned the ruling coalition.

Serbian List MP Igor Simic, days ago, told Free Europe Radio that the deputies of the List continue to work from the opposition tax, while ministers are “alone in technical capacities”.

Artan Murati, analyst from the Kosovo Democratic Institute, speaking to Radio Free Europe, estimates that the Serbian List is making unrealistic political behaviour.

As he says, MPs from this political subject in the Kosovo Parliament have already sat in opposition seats, while ministers from this political subject, according to him, have not resigned from the government and continue to be part of it.

“against Serbian List statements that they have withdrawn from the coalition, this in practice is not seen as true, with the fact that the executive is working with the ministers of the Serbian List. On the other hand, MPs from the Serbian List in the Assembly have not yet opposed something to the ruling coalition or joined the opposition in the initiative. Actually, this does not represent any guarantees. MPs from the Serbian List have never been concerned that they would support issues raised by the ruling coalition because, they, the end, regardless of whether they are in power or opposition, all issues which would run counter to Serbia's policies, would oppose”, Murati said.

He has added that the Serbian List has boycotted the job in executive and the Assembly earlier in order to exploit the situation politically. That, according to Murati, is happening again.

“Zaconally, these actions are taking, perhaps even to increase the political market for their demands, which very often conflicts with the state interests of the Republic of Kosovo, as we know that the Serb List, largely, follows politics directly from Belgrade or the policy that comes directly or is orchestrated by Serbia's president (Alekar Vuciq)”, Murati stressed.

However, the Serbian List has three ministers -- one of them in the post of deputy prime minister -- as well as several deputy ministers' positions. In the Kosovo Assembly, it has 10 deputies.

The Serbian List's decision to abandon the Government of Kosovo, as representatives of this political subject have said, has been the result of the March 26th events in northern Mitrovica, with scratch, Kosovo Police Units have arrested the head of the Office for Kosovo in Serbia's Government, Marko Djuric.