Vucic seeks greater autonomy for Serbs in the north

All Serbs in the north think Serbia as their country, not Kosovo. This is reality”, Vucic said in an interview for Reuters on June 9th.

He said that “some should take over and organise the (new) elections there”.

Last week, violence erupted in northern Kosovo, after mayors, ethnic Albanians, were placed in municipal objects, in Serb-run populated municipalities following local elections held in April, in which turnout was only 3.5 per cent.

In response to the riots, in which Serb protesters clashed with NATO peacekeepers, leaving dozens injured on both sides, Serbia placed its armed forces in higher combat readiness. Meanwhile, NATO sent reinforcements to its mission in Kosovo.

The European Union and the United States of America have called on Pristina to organise new elections in the majority Serbian region in order to calm tensions, meanwhile, Serbia abandon combat readiness and remove troops from the border with Kosovo.

However, Vucic said authorities in Kosovo would have to make some concessions to ensure Serbs' participation in the new elections.

“Ende we do not have an association of Serbian municipalities, there is still no withdrawal of the special police forces (Kosovo Albanians) and the mayors of the municipalities”, Vucic said.

The agreement, now 10 years old, mediated by the European Union, envisioned Serbs in the north to establish the association of self-government municipalities in exchange for recognising Kosovo institutions, but the agreement was never implemented, Reuters recalls.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said that the Serb majority zone, in the event it is granted greater autonomy under the association of municipalities, could organise referendums for joining Serbia.

“Serbs (in the north) are always willing to talk, but you have to offer them something”, Vucic said.

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, early this month, said the country could hold new elections in the municipalities that it is about, if 20 per cent of voters sign a petition through which the elections are required.

She, too, accused Serbia of interference.

Vucic has declared that “what these people are saying is terrifying” and accused Kurti of not ready for compromise.

“I am sure that (the Kurti) will not invest a minute of his time or a sweat point to find a compromise solution”, Vucic said.

He also added that Serbia is considering whether to reduce its combat readiness.

“We will keep our troops on high alert and not on higher combat readiness, because it costs a lot of”, he said.

Vuciq over proposals for Association

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in an interview for Reuters on June 9th that no one but the Serb community has the right to make proposals for the Association of Serb-run municipalities.

Vucic mentioned that proposals for forming the Association of Serb majority municipalities were submitted by Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, as well as several non-governmental organisations.

None of them have the right to have any proposals. The proposal is provided by Serbs and the Managing Team made up of Serbs”, Vucic said.

Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama announced at a news conference that 7 June he has forwarded to French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz the draft for forming the Association of Major Serb municipalities in Kosovo.

The European Union spokesman (BE), Peter Stano, said on June 9th that any constructive contribution to the dialogue, in which we discuss Association, is welcome, but that dialogue is the only platform on which the discussion should be held for implementation of this agreement.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti earlier proposed his draft, based on the example of the Serb position in Croatia.

The establishment of the Association of Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo is one of the obligations of Kosovo for which the EU and the United States of America insist most, and reconciliation for its formation has been reached in 2013, as part of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

In the Reuters interview, Vucic also said Serbia is negotiating the purchase of Rafale fighter aircraft from France and the further strengthening of its military with Western weapons.

He said Serbia remains on the path towards EU membership and has managed to balance its foreign policy, to enable continued friendly relations with its historic allies Russia and China.