35 NGOs from Kosovo and Serbia: Barricades are driving young people away

The cause of peace requires not only words for this purpose but images and relationships that embody together. We stand in opposition to all unnecessary projects of force and all of the naive of hatred and division. The future of Kosovo and Serbia are inevitably linked to each other, and an agreement on normalising relations is the first vital step in building a better tomorrow. But it's just a first step”, it says among other things in the text of this statement.

This is the text of the joint declaration of 35 civil society organisations from Kosovo and Serbia regarding the last situation created in the country:

The ongoing cycle of escalation and de-exception in relations between Kosovo and Serbia presents a failure of political imagination.

The energy spent in dealing with the recent crisis distracts from the overall urgent issues affecting the daily lives of citizens in Serbia and Kosovo directly.

The already existing trend is that people are just leaving Serbia and Kosovo, especially the young. As new barricades are set up, so many new suitcases are packed. Very few are likely to return. The future of our countries will live elsewhere.

Many groups considered outside the spectrum of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue are basically ignored. The Roma community, if we take one, finds itself marginalised in both Serbia and Kosovo.

With the violent prospect more than it has been for a decade, it is now time to hear new constructive voices looking to the future with sharp looks from the past; voices that require partnerships and coalitions beyond the supposed red lines to determine us; voices that are raised publicly against divisive and humiliating rhetoric.

We, the signatories, take over to maintain channels of communication that reduce opportunities for misunderstanding and dezinformation. Very often we have spoken without understanding each other, insisting on the importance of one point, while totally dismissing or ignoring the existence of another.

We think we understand the details of a matter, but we cannot see how it is understood or viewed by other communities. All of us should be committed to listening with open ears and open minds.

Only by sharing our prospects and perceptions from our respective communities can we start walking towards a common road to the future. Many of the problems our respective communities face are almost identical, yet we rarely accept that fact.

If there has ever been a time for solidarity in the last decade, it is now. The war in Ukraine is a painful reminder of the grim realities of war, even though our heritage remains close.

The cause of peace requires not only words for that purpose but images and relationships that embody together. We stand in opposition to all unnecessary projects of force and all of the naive of hatred and division.

The future of Kosovo and Serbia are inevitably linked to each other, and an agreement on normalising relations is the first vital step in building a better tomorrow. But it's just a first step.

Subscriptor:

ACTIV
Advocacy Center for Democracy Culture (ACDC)
The Balkan Forum
Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP)
Community Building Mitrovica (CBM)
Center for Peace and Toledo (CPT)
Civic Initiatives, Serbia
Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of the Balkans, Belgrade
European Fund for the Balkans
Forum for Development and Multiethnic Colaboration (FDMC)
BPE Foundation for a Responsible Society (BFPE)
Gorazdevac Media Group
Institute for Territory Economic Development InTER
Jelena Loncar, Academy of Belgrade University
Local Peace, Leposaviq
Lawrence Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM)
Milan Antoniyevic, Lawyer, Serbia
New Prospects
New Social Initiative (NSI)
NGO Integrated
NGO Be Active 16, Presevo
NGO Livri, Presevo
Peer Educators Network (PEN)
Rahim Salihi, civil society activist Bujanoc
Radio Peja
Radio Astra, Prizren
RT V CIM
TV Prizren, Prizren
Voice of Rome, Ashkali and Egyptians in Kosovo ( Vo RAE)
Your Initiative for Human Rights Kosovo
Your Initiative for Human Rights Serbia
Valon Arifi, civil society activist, Bujanoc
Vjollca Krasniqi, Academy of Pristina University
Center for Democracy and Education ] Valley
Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (QKSS)