"Parallel institutions could only be abolished by force"

Belgrade team chief Borislav Stefanovic voiced belief that the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue could be continued soon. He qualified as unacceptable that granting Serbia the EU candidate status be conditioned by abolishment of Serbian structures in northern Kosovo. "Parallel institutions could only be abolished by force" “This, of course, is not acceptable,” the team chief told Berlin-based daily Die Tageszeitung (TAZ), commenting on the statement that for some countries, including Germany, granting Serbia the EU candidate status is connected with dissolution of Serbian parallel structures in northern Kosovo. When asked what would happen if this happened against Serbia's will, he said that it could happen only if violence was used, adding that what was extorted with the use of force was unsustainable in the long-term. “The history of Kosovo teaches us about that. The international community also knows that the will of Serbs, who are majority in northern Kosovo, cannot be ignored,” Stefanovic stressed, adding that all governing structures in the north of the province, both executive and judicial, should be state authorities of the Republic of Serbia and the local Serbs. “This has to be negotiated,” he pointed out. When asked whether Belgrade still had influence on political representatives of the local Serbs, the team head said that the people in northern Kosovo listened to what its home country said. “Certain Serb political leaders in Kosovo, however, have obviously lost sense of reality and are setting unrealistic conditions,” he was quoted as saying. When it comes to the continuance of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, he voiced belief that it could take place soon. “I expect that the dialogue will be continued soon. We are conferring with U.S. and EU representatives about compromise which should regulate freight and passenger vehicle at the disputable Brnjak and Jarinje crossings. As soon as a solution is in sight, we will continue the dialogue,” Stefanovic concluded. Borislav Stefanovic (Beta, file)

"Parallel institutions could only be abolished by force"

“This, of course, is not acceptable,” the team chief told Berlin-based daily Die Tageszeitung (TAZ), commenting on the statement that for some countries, including Germany, granting Serbia the EU candidate status is connected with dissolution of Serbian parallel structures in northern Kosovo.

When asked what would happen if this happened against Serbia's will, he said that it could happen only if violence was used, adding that what was extorted with the use of force was unsustainable in the long-term.

“The history of Kosovo teaches us about that. The international community also knows that the will of Serbs, who are majority in northern Kosovo, cannot be ignored,” Stefanović stressed, adding that all governing structures in the north of the province, both executive and judicial, should be state authorities of the Republic of Serbia and the local Serbs.

“This has to be negotiated,” he pointed out.

When asked whether Belgrade still had influence on political representatives of the local Serbs, the team head said that the people in northern Kosovo listened to what its home country said.

“Certain Serb political leaders in Kosovo, however, have obviously lost sense of reality and are setting unrealistic conditions,” he was quoted as saying.

When it comes to the continuance of the Belgrade-Priština dialogue, he voiced belief that it could take place soon.

“I expect that the dialogue will be continued soon. We are conferring with U.S. and EU representatives about compromise which should regulate freight and passenger vehicle at the disputable Brnjak and Jarinje crossings. As soon as a solution is in sight, we will continue the dialogue,” Stefanović concluded.