“Long process of normalization”

Process of normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina could take ten years, Veton Surroi of the Kosovo Foreign Policy Club told B92. “Governments of Serbia and Kosovo should think about their mutual relations in the long term and start making steps in that sense,” the Kosovo Albanian politician and journalist said. “Long process of normalization” He thinks that in fact there are no technical but only political issues between Serbia and Kosovo, and that both sides must think about a process that will lead to a mutual respect. “If this generation of politicians does not solve the issue of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, the next one will have to solve it because the negotiations that the dialogue is beginning with will have to set foundations of a normalization process that will last at least ten years,” Surroi explained. He told B92 that the negotiations would be easier if some simple and easier results were achieved in the beginning. “Here’s an example that could be quickly solved, for example if Belgrade agreed to let Kosovo participate in the Olympic Games in London in 2012, at least under the Olympic flag,” Surroi pointed out. On the other hand, A Kosovo Serb representative RadmilaTrajkovic thinks that Kosovo institutions do not see Serbs as their residents or citizens, “but as Serbia and they are trying to expel us”. She told B92 that it was necessary to work on acceptance of Serbs and on struggle for a normal life in those parts. Surroi stated that now former Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu and PM Hashim Thaci had a right to attend enthronement of the Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Irinej in Pec on October 3 and that it would be “a step”. “I think that it should be taken seriously. The patriarch is a spiritual leader of Kosovo Serbs, so the president and the PM not only have the right but also duty to be there. I think that they would go in the spirit of reconciliation. It would be positive if Serbian and Kosovo officials were present with as few bodyguards as possible,” he explained. Trajkovic believes that conditions for such meeting have not been met yet and that the moment which is important for Serb believers should not be compromised. She has assessed that the wish of the Pristina officials to attend the enthronement is more political provocation than a sincere desire. Trajkovic stressed that there would be many Serbs, especially the ones who had been persecuted, but also those who suffered in Kosovo during and after the war, who were linking these crimes to Thaci and that his presence would be "bad". Surroi defined northern Kosovo, where majority of population is Serb, as Kosovo's issue “just like Northern Cyprus is Cyprus' issue“. “The issue of Kosovo could have been solved on October 6, because it is a product of Former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic,“ according to him.

“Long process of normalization”

He thinks that in fact there are no technical but only political issues between Serbia and Kosovo, and that both sides must think about a process that will lead to a mutual respect.

“If this generation of politicians does not solve the issue of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, the next one will have to solve it because the negotiations that the dialogue is beginning with will have to set foundations of a normalization process that will last at least ten years,” Surroi explained.

He told B92 that the negotiations would be easier if some simple and easier results were achieved in the beginning.

“Here’s an example that could be quickly solved, for example if Belgrade agreed to let Kosovo participate in the Olympic Games in London in 2012, at least under the Olympic flag,” Surroi pointed out.

On the other hand, A Kosovo Serb representative RadmilaTrajković thinks that Kosovo institutions do not see Serbs as their residents or citizens, “but as Serbia and they are trying to expel us”.

She told B92 that it was necessary to work on acceptance of Serbs and on struggle for a normal life in those parts.

Surroi stated that now former Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu and PM Hashim Thaci had a right to attend enthronement of the Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Irinej in Peć on October 3 and that it would be “a step”.

“I think that it should be taken seriously. The patriarch is a spiritual leader of Kosovo Serbs, so the president and the PM not only have the right but also duty to be there. I think that they would go in the spirit of reconciliation. It would be positive if Serbian and Kosovo officials were present with as few bodyguards as possible,” he explained.

Trajković believes that conditions for such meeting have not been met yet and that the moment which is important for Serb believers should not be compromised.

She has assessed that the wish of the Priština officials to attend the enthronement is more political provocation than a sincere desire.

Trajković stressed that there would be many Serbs, especially the ones who had been persecuted, but also those who suffered in Kosovo during and after the war, who were linking these crimes to Thaci and that his presence would be "bad".

Surroi defined northern Kosovo, where majority of population is Serb, as Kosovo's issue “just like Northern Cyprus is Cyprus' issue“.

“The issue of Kosovo could have been solved on October 6, because it is a product of Former Serbian President Slobodan Milošević,“ according to him.