Top officials define "criteria for agreement"

BELGRADE A meeting held by Serbia's top officials defined nine criteria based on which they would decide if the proposed framework agreement for Kosovo was acceptable. Tanjug is reporting that Parliamentary Committee on Kosovo and Metohija Chairman Milovan Drecun said on Thursday that "the set criteria for the functioning of a Serb community (of municipalities) in Kosovo constitute the maximum, and not the minimum of rights for Serbs". Top officials define "criteria for agreement" A negative answer to any of these criteria would "bring into question" the possibility of reaching an agreement in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, this MP from the ruling Serb Progressive Party (SNS) further explained. Drecun told reporters that government officials should come to parliament on Thursday, March 28, on a day when MPs pose questions to cabinet ministers, while after the eighth round of talks scheduled to take place in Brussels on April 2, "some government officials should come to a meeting of the committee." "If officials manage in Brussels to bring their stands closer together, the committee would schedule the meeting immediately after the completion of talks," he said. Drecun then explained that the first criterion was "to determine whether this Serb community in Kosovo would have its own or carry out municipal powers, the second whether it would have relevant bodies, for example an executive council, and the third whether the association would be formed and recognized under the law and Constitution of Kosovo". "The next criterion is to define whether that association would have its own assets which is the key issue, whether it would have an elected or delegated assembly, and whether it would have a role in the field of police and justice, i.e. the power to assign and confirm places of residence, determine electoral registers and courts' constitution and composition," Drecun said. Other criteria refer to whether decisions delivered by a future Serb community of municipalities would need to be approved by Pristina, whether there would be a mechanism for Serbs' participation in central government bodies, and whether Kosovo security services would be absent from the northern part of the province. “The last criterion is whether a mechanism has been established for determining the position of the Serbian Orthodox Church,” Drecun said. "A negative answer to any of these criteria in fact disqualifies the possibility of agreement," Drecun concluded. Milovan Drecun (R) in parliament (Beta, file) Beta Tanjug

Top officials define "criteria for agreement"

A negative answer to any of these criteria would "bring into question" the possibility of reaching an agreement in the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština, this MP from the ruling Serb Progressive Party (SNS) further explained.

Drecun told reporters that government officials should come to parliament on Thursday, March 28, on a day when MPs pose questions to cabinet ministers, while after the eighth round of talks scheduled to take place in Brussels on April 2, "some government officials should come to a meeting of the committee."

"If officials manage in Brussels to bring their stands closer together, the committee would schedule the meeting immediately after the completion of talks," he said.

Drecun then explained that the first criterion was "to determine whether this Serb community in Kosovo would have its own or carry out municipal powers, the second whether it would have relevant bodies, for example an executive council, and the third whether the association would be formed and recognized under the law and Constitution of Kosovo".

"The next criterion is to define whether that association would have its own assets which is the key issue, whether it would have an elected or delegated assembly, and whether it would have a role in the field of police and justice, i.e. the power to assign and confirm places of residence, determine electoral registers and courts' constitution and composition," Drecun said.

Other criteria refer to whether decisions delivered by a future Serb community of municipalities would need to be approved by Priština, whether there would be a mechanism for Serbs' participation in central government bodies, and whether Kosovo security services would be absent from the northern part of the province.

“The last criterion is whether a mechanism has been established for determining the position of the Serbian Orthodox Church,” Drecun said.

"A negative answer to any of these criteria in fact disqualifies the possibility of agreement," Drecun concluded.