Parliament could discuss Kosovo after ICJ decision

The current parliament has not had issues related to Kosovo on its agenda for over a year, Belgrade daily Danas writes. According to the leader of the ruling DS-led “For a European Serbia” MP group, Nada Kolundzija, there will be talks regarding Kosovo once the International Court of Justice (ICJ) gives its opinion on the legality of the ethnic Albanian's unilaterally proclaimed independence. Parliament could discuss Kosovo after ICJ decision The ICJ is supposed to give its decision sometime mid-year. The opposition’s initiative from June 2008 to discuss Kosovo and adopt a new resolution has yet to reach the agenda. The last talks related to the southern province were consultations between MP groups and Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic on the arrival of EULEX, which took place in late 2008. Kolundzija said that parliament discusses current events if there are changes in the state policies or the situation on the ground. “Since the state policies on Kosovo have never changed and there is nothing new that has happened, there was no reason to have an MP discussion. Serbia worked for a year to get the question of Kosovo before the UN and ICJ, so there was no need to talk about it in parliament. Depending on the ICJ decision, the question could be reactivated,” she said. Kosovo Ministry State Secretary Oliver Ivanovic said that the government has discussed Kosovo, even though parliament has not. “Parliament should be informed about that regularly, but there were several meetings of the Committee for Kosovo which is in charge of monitoring the situation and possibly making conclusions,” he said. Opposition DSS official and former Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardzic said the fact that Kosovo has not been discussed for so long in parliament shows that the government has given up in its battle for the province. “The only way for the opposition to talk about problems in Kosovo is to start up an initiative for a no-confidence vote for the government, because that demand must be put on the agenda,” Samardzic said. Opposition SRS official Dragan Todorovic agreed, and added that it was "unheard of " to have allowed EULEX to come to Kosovo without a parliamentary debate on the issue. Meanwhile, Parliamentary Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic of the ruling SPS said that she sees no problem with the fact that Kosovo has not been discussed for a long while. “Our foreign policy and activities of the state in all elements related to Kosovo are very clear and active. The state is making great efforts on the global plan. Kosovo is being dealt with in parliament and the entire country, but in a way that is in accordance with the moment, and in a manner that helps Serbia the most,” she said.

Parliament could discuss Kosovo after ICJ decision

The ICJ is supposed to give its decision sometime mid-year.

The opposition’s initiative from June 2008 to discuss Kosovo and adopt a new resolution has yet to reach the agenda.

The last talks related to the southern province were consultations between MP groups and Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanović on the arrival of EULEX, which took place in late 2008.

Kolundžija said that parliament discusses current events if there are changes in the state policies or the situation on the ground.

“Since the state policies on Kosovo have never changed and there is nothing new that has happened, there was no reason to have an MP discussion. Serbia worked for a year to get the question of Kosovo before the UN and ICJ, so there was no need to talk about it in parliament. Depending on the ICJ decision, the question could be reactivated,” she said.

Kosovo Ministry State Secretary Oliver Ivanović said that the government has discussed Kosovo, even though parliament has not.

“Parliament should be informed about that regularly, but there were several meetings of the Committee for Kosovo which is in charge of monitoring the situation and possibly making conclusions,” he said.

Opposition DSS official and former Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardžić said the fact that Kosovo has not been discussed for so long in parliament shows that the government has given up in its battle for the province.

“The only way for the opposition to talk about problems in Kosovo is to start up an initiative for a no-confidence vote for the government, because that demand must be put on the agenda,” Samardžić said.

Opposition SRS official Dragan Todorović agreed, and added that it was "unheard of " to have allowed EULEX to come to Kosovo without a parliamentary debate on the issue.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Speaker Slavica Đukić-Dejanović of the ruling SPS said that she sees no problem with the fact that Kosovo has not been discussed for a long while.

“Our foreign policy and activities of the state in all elements related to Kosovo are very clear and active. The state is making great efforts on the global plan. Kosovo is being dealt with in parliament and the entire country, but in a way that is in accordance with the moment, and in a manner that helps Serbia the most,” she said.