Serbia's investments in parallel structures in Kosovo

About 63.7m euros are planned for the Office for Kosovo that functions within the Government of Serbia. Much of the funds are spent on “supporting the functioning of institutions and organisations on Kosovo territory”. The word is first for parallel structures or “organs of the Serbian state in Kosovo, which Kosovo does not recognise, under the same agreement between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels, would have to integrate into Kosovo institutions.

These investments for parallel structures, by economic experts and the outgoing government, are considered illegal.

Naim Gashi, economy field expert, told Radio Free Europe that such investments are unconstitutional, as they intend to finance parallel structures that are consistently engaged against Kosovo citizenship.

The overwhelming stake of these funds also goes to parallel structures in the north, such as the bridge guards, which once said to be disbanded, then re-actualised the other security institutions Serbia finances in Kosovo and which are meant to undermine the state of Kosovo and prevent the integration of the Serb community into Kosovo institutions”, Gashi says.

This policy of investment in parallel structures, Gashi adds, also conflicts with the Brussels agreements that the Government of Serbia signed with the Government of Kosovo and thus, according to Gashi, they conflict with the European principles of good neighbourlyity.

The northern part of Kosovo, which after the war has operated on the basis of a parallel system organised by Belgrade. Within Brussels' dialogue, Pristina and Belgrade had reached agreement on the integration of four Serb-run northern municipalities within the framework of Kosovo's constitutional system, where investments constituted an important element, along with free elections, although this integration process still remains ongoing.

The integrity of Kosovo's security and justice institutions, says Naim Gashi, has been best exploited by Serbia.

“It is the duty of the state of Kosovo that these instructions and these serious legal violations that lead the state of Kosovo to be fought through law and law, and the international community must exercise its pressure on Serbia to stop this hostile activity against the state of Kosovo”, Gashi says.

Meanwhile, outgoing government officials say Kosovo institutions have not yet managed to extend full sovereignty in the northern part. Haki Shatri, adviser to incumbent Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, told Radio Free Europe that any investment that respects laws in Kosovo is not rejected, but that Serbia's investments in parallel structures are unacceptable and will not have to be made.

“Everyone has the right to invest in Kosovo by respecting Kosovo laws and regulations regardless of who Serbia or any other country is. Anyone who comes and invests in the welfare of communities has greater freedom because our laws are meant to ensure the well-being of the mother state”.

“We have provided specific funds to develop the economy, infrastructure in that part (in northern municipalities) is a special fund that is envisioned by law, but that is hard to implement as it is being blocked by Serbia, they are not allowing Serbs to receive those funds and those funds have remained unused”, Shatri says.

To avoid Serbia's investments in parallel structures, considering that they ignored Kosovo's laws in 2013, under Brussels' dialogue, an agreement had been reached between Pristina and Belgrade for customs on which the Trust Fund was established. By the end of 2018, this fund has reached the value of over 15. 5m euros, while 11m euros have been spent on 30 different projects, some of which, according to the European Union's office in Kosovo, are in the implementation phase.

The Fund, according to the EU, favours investments in public projects, which may have an impact on socioeconomic developments in municipalities in the north.