Former Ambassador Peci: Serbs in the north are under full control of criminal groups close to Vucinqi

During the works of the 102nd Rose-Roft Serbia Parliamentary Assembly, with the theme “The Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western Balkans: prolonged challenges, new realities and future prospects”, Peci said Kurti had promised dialogue with the Serb community.

“Prime Minister Kurti during the election campaign has promised dialogue with the Serb community in Kosovo, but according to me there are no visible and important steps that have been taken in that direction by the Kosovo Government so far. On the other hand, the failure to implement the decision by the Constitutional Court of Kosovo regarding the Decani monastery has a negative impact on the construction of confidence between the Government of Kosovo and the Serb community”, he said.

Peci said Kosovo Serbs' key concerns are political instability, migration, security and corruption.

KIPRED's director said that in the north there are criminal elements that are armed by Serbia's own president for this, he said he no longer hides Alexander Vuciq himself.

This is about the fact that Serbia's policies, Serbia's hegemonistic policies for partitioning of Kosovo are there... Compared to the southern part, the life of the Serb community in the north is in full control, not only of the Serbian List or of the elements of the Serbian state and the structures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and criminal groups which are controlled by President Vuciq's narrow circle... And in the northern part is a powerful pro-Russia and pro-Putin... When it comes to the Serb population in the summer part, so far the government has used the administrative instrument and that of strong power, so there has not been anything more done by the government to win the hearts and minds of the Serb community in the north. Prime Minister Kurti has made some symbolic gestures, addressing the Serb community in the Serbian language that is not common in our political life, but I think that's not enough. The government must also take soft-power measures so that this part of the population feels more comfortable”, he said.

Peci said despite tense rhetoric there is no potential for an armed conflict between Kosovo and Serbia.

He has counted key problems for the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, until he has added that Kosovo's future depends also on the recognition of five EU member states.

The integration of Kosovo Serbs and the north depends on the results of moderate dialogue by the EU. The association of Serb majority municipalities, recognition of diplomas, integrated management of the border, demarcation of the border between the two states, without these being completed, cannot have a normalisation because the issues remain open. According to the recent EU enlargement strategy, it is up to every state from the Western Balkans to complete all these points by 2025... Disagreements between Kosovo and Serbia contain the aspect of security, not multiethnic. It's time to change the way the dialogue is demonstrated by the EU, this dialogue should move from fasilization to mediating, with fassilization we will not be able to move towards a comprehensive agreement on normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, but this policy must be forwarded with yet another dimension, with the convergence of policies between the US, United Kingdom, Germany and the five states that do not recognise Kosovo. The five EU states, not familiar with Kosovo, are part of the problem and of resolving the dispute between Kosovo and Serbia... This future lies in five EU member states that do not recognise Kosovo”, Peci added.

More than 100 participants, including MPs from NATO member states and partner states, deputies in the Republic of Kosovo Assembly and other guests, are participating in the three-day meeting of this seminar, which is being organised for the second time in Kosovo. /kp/