Serbia expects “world to recognize reality in Kosovo”

BELGRADE A platform on Kosovo and a resolution show that Serbia recognizes reality in Kosovo, Serbian government’s Office for Kosovo Director Aleksandar Vulin says. He added that Serbia expected the world to recognize the reality as well. Serbia expects “world to recognize reality in Kosovo” Vulin stressed that Serbia for the first time in the past 12 years had a stance of its own regarding the issue and that it had managed to get all Kosovo Serbs to agree on it. “At a meeting with President Tomislav Nikolic representatives of all Serb municipalities from Kosovo and Metohija showed up for the first time in who knows how many decades. If only that was done, one could say that it was a big deal,” he explained. Vulin pointed out that many things “we can be proud of” had been done and that the government “has started the talks courageously and things that previous governments shunned”. “I want our generation to solve the Kosovo issue and I do not expect to have some great political rating because of it but what kind of a person I would be if I did not see the size of the problem I am facing, that my people and the state are facing and if I did not start solving the problem and wanted to leave it to some future government and future generations,” the Office for Kosovo head wondered. He underscored that the platform for Kosovo and the resolution that will be sent to parliament was “our question and our answer”. According to Vulin, everything will be judged by the public and the international community but also by Kosovo Serbs, the Serbian parliament, government and other state organs and institutions. He stressed that the resolution would be sent to parliament with all its principles and values and MPs would then vote on it. “Everything else is then up to those who will represent us in possible negotiations and those who will implement it. What we will not back down from, the essence and the direction we want to go, is that it will be adopted by parliament and the Serbian government,” Vulin said. Commenting on talks in Brussels, he assessed that talks were always a good thing but that these were different that previous ones. “Serbia, maybe for the first time in the last 12 years, has its own position, it is seeking something, it wants something, it does not agree on something and I think it is the essential new quality and what I see as the biggest quality is that everything we do, we do not only do for those who live in Kosovo and Metohija but we do it together with those who live in Kosovo and Metohija,” the Office for Kosovo director explained. He said that he had insisted and that he would not give up on the request that representatives of Kosovo Serbs, both south and north of the Ibar River be present in all phases of the talks. He noted that he and the entire government and the president were trying to keep their promise– that they will never talk about Kosovo Serbs without them being present. “Our success will be measured by the quality of their life – we worked the way they live,” Vulin explained. On the other hand, he said he was not satisfied with the fact that a new law on Kosovo bonus had not been passed and added that he expected the bill to be adopted next year. He is also not satisfied with the fact that census was not conducted in Kosovo. “The international community saw a political provocation in it and I wanted results. I want to find out how many Serbs live in Kosovo and Metohija, how they live, how they make a living, what they own, what has been stolen from them. We will do it next year, maybe we won’t call it census, but I want a result and I want to find out finally how many of us are there and how we live,” Vulin said and added that Kosovo Serbs wanted to help their state, to be a part of it and that they did not want to be a burden. “They are not (a burden) and when you listen to Belgrade politicians who say that we can only join the EU if we renounce Kosovo, it would be smart to ask them what we are going to do about corruption, unemployment, bad economy, neglected judicial reform. Those are the things that represent a big burden,” he stressed. Aleksandar Vulin (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

Serbia expects “world to recognize reality in Kosovo”

Vulin stressed that Serbia for the first time in the past 12 years had a stance of its own regarding the issue and that it had managed to get all Kosovo Serbs to agree on it.

“At a meeting with President Tomislav Nikolić representatives of all Serb municipalities from Kosovo and Metohija showed up for the first time in who knows how many decades. If only that was done, one could say that it was a big deal,” he explained.

Vulin pointed out that many things “we can be proud of” had been done and that the government “has started the talks courageously and things that previous governments shunned”.

“I want our generation to solve the Kosovo issue and I do not expect to have some great political rating because of it but what kind of a person I would be if I did not see the size of the problem I am facing, that my people and the state are facing and if I did not start solving the problem and wanted to leave it to some future government and future generations,” the Office for Kosovo head wondered.

He underscored that the platform for Kosovo and the resolution that will be sent to parliament was “our question and our answer”.

According to Vulin, everything will be judged by the public and the international community but also by Kosovo Serbs, the Serbian parliament, government and other state organs and institutions.

He stressed that the resolution would be sent to parliament with all its principles and values and MPs would then vote on it.

“Everything else is then up to those who will represent us in possible negotiations and those who will implement it. What we will not back down from, the essence and the direction we want to go, is that it will be adopted by parliament and the Serbian government,” Vulin said.

Commenting on talks in Brussels, he assessed that talks were always a good thing but that these were different that previous ones.

“Serbia, maybe for the first time in the last 12 years, has its own position, it is seeking something, it wants something, it does not agree on something and I think it is the essential new quality and what I see as the biggest quality is that everything we do, we do not only do for those who live in Kosovo and Metohija but we do it together with those who live in Kosovo and Metohija,” the Office for Kosovo director explained.

He said that he had insisted and that he would not give up on the request that representatives of Kosovo Serbs, both south and north of the Ibar River be present in all phases of the talks.

He noted that he and the entire government and the president were trying to keep their promise– that they will never talk about Kosovo Serbs without them being present.

“Our success will be measured by the quality of their life – we worked the way they live,” Vulin explained.

On the other hand, he said he was not satisfied with the fact that a new law on Kosovo bonus had not been passed and added that he expected the bill to be adopted next year.

He is also not satisfied with the fact that census was not conducted in Kosovo.

“The international community saw a political provocation in it and I wanted results. I want to find out how many Serbs live in Kosovo and Metohija, how they live, how they make a living, what they own, what has been stolen from them. We will do it next year, maybe we won’t call it census, but I want a result and I want to find out finally how many of us are there and how we live,” Vulin said and added that Kosovo Serbs wanted to help their state, to be a part of it and that they did not want to be a burden.

“They are not (a burden) and when you listen to Belgrade politicians who say that we can only join the EU if we renounce Kosovo, it would be smart to ask them what we are going to do about corruption, unemployment, bad economy, neglected judicial reform. Those are the things that represent a big burden,” he stressed.