Survey: 77% of Serbs would recognise Kosovo if EU membership is allowed

The results of the Institute's research into European issues, this nongovernmental organisation, show that the number of citizens of Serbia who would vote against Kosovo's independence compared to last year is declining.

That is because most of them consider Serbia cannot again have full control over Kosovo, while the overwhelming majority do not know what the government of Serbia's plan for Kosovo is.

Research into public opinion regarding the relations of Serbia's citizens towards Kosovo has taken place during the period from March 6th to March 12th, 2020, in a representative sample of 1,203 respondents, in co-operation with the research house Ninamedia.

Nearly half of respondents (46 per cent) consider that it is not possible for Serbia again to realise full control and sovereignty over Kosovo, while 38 per cent of respondents consider it possible. That this is largely possible, this is considered by respondents older than 45 years and respondents with lower level of education, says research.

That Kosovo is lost, that is considered by 42 percent of citizens, while 46 percent consider it not lost. The position that Kosovo is lost, largely expressed by respondents aged 30 to 44, by respondents with the highest level of education and by the urban population, shows the results of research.

By the general number of respondents, 77 per cent of them would not support Kosovo's independence in exchange for Serbia's faster membership in the European Union, while 13 per cent of respondents would support it. Those surveyed over the age of 45 are the ones who are in the highest number who have the stance that Kosovo's independence should not be accepted.

Most do not know what Kosovo plan is

89 percent of respondents do not even know what the government of Serbia plan is for Kosovo.

President Aleksandar Vuciq's <x0 plan, which Kosovo would bring independence, while for the citizens of Serbia a stable and better standard, would not support 57 per cent of respondents, while 23 per cent would support this plan”, says research.

A little over a quarter (27 percent) of respondents consider this government (of Serbia) to accept Kosovo, while a little over half of respondents (53 percent) think that this government will not do so. A fifth of respondents don't know how to declare it.

If there were a referendum on Kosovo's independence tomorrow, most respondents would vote against (66 percent), in the vote there would not be 14 percent, 11 percent would not know how to vote, while 9 percent would vote for. Those surveyed who would vote against it are mostly male and respondents over the age of 45.

In its report 2019, a decrease in the number of respondents who would vote against Kosovo independence has been noted, stressed the Institute for European Affairs.

The Institute for European Affairs is an independent, nongovernmental organisation that was founded in Serbia in 2010. This institute forwards talks between Serbia and the European Union and actively engages in Serbia's membership in Euro-Atlantic frameworks. / REL