Kosovo Serbs to meet with top officials on Thursday

BELGRADE Kosovo Serbs will speak with President Tomislav Nikolic, PM Ivica Dacic and First Deputy PM Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday. “A meeting with Vucic should begin at 12:00 CET,” Leposavic Mayor Dragisa Vasic told Tanjug. Kosovo Serbs to meet with top officials on Thursday Mayors and district heads will with the top state officials discuss a draft agreement initialed by Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels on Friday. Vasic expects the first deputy PM to show understanding for northern Kosovo Serbs’ position, “just like he has always done”. “I expect that we will try to find a solution that would be satisfactory for the people in northern Kosovo. In any case, the Brussels agreement is not satisfactory to northern Kosovo. However, if some alternative solutions are found and whatever we agree with Mr. Vucic, we will try to implement it. But if our people do not like it, meaning if it does not suit them, we really cannot accept something that will lead our people in the Albanian state,” he stressed, Serbs living south of the Ibar River are also carefully monitoring the latest events regarding the implementation of the Brussels agreement. “I am sure that teams that will talk about the implementation of the agreement will be serious now. When it comes to south of the Ibar River, this is just a legalization of the situation that already functions and exists. With involvement and support of Belgrade, I think we are creating a serious and stable idea,” Gracanica Mayor Bojan Stojanovic. Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) official Randjel Nojkic says that the agreement “despite how unfavorable it is and the fact it comes at a wrong time, still gives a certain chance”. “This is the best possible solution in this situation. It actually gives a chance to equally defend Serbs in the entire area of Kosovo and Metohija regardless of where they live, north or south of the Ibar River,” he added. Serb National Council’s Dragan Velic believes that the agreement is completely detrimental to Kosovo Serbs. Residents of Serb municipalities in Kosovo have a similar opinion and they fear that they will not be able to continue to live in their homes. According to Vasic, Zvecan Mayor Dragisa Milovic, Zubin Potok Mayor Slavisa Ristic, Kosovska Mitrovica District Head Radenko Nedeljkovic, Office for Kosovo Deputy Director Krstimir Pantic, Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor Dragisa Vlaskovic and Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) MP Bojan Jakovljevic will also attend the meeting with Vucic on Thursday. Former State Secretary for Kosovo Oliver Ivanovic told B92 earlier today that northern Kosovo Serbs demanded guarantees that Serbia was not forcing them into the Pristina institutions. “I think that it is important to explain to our representatives what exactly was agreed, to give them additional guarantees, that is something that the population is especially worried about because they have a feeling that Serbia is in a way pushing them into the Pristina institutions due to lack of information. These citizens certainly will not look for an alternative state because Serbia is the only state, but I think that it is important that they have good communication with the Belgrade authorities in order to avoid misunderstandings,” he stressed. Belgrade and Pristina's teams should present a plan for the implementation of the agreement on Thursday in Brussels. Representatives of Kosovo Serbs are seen at a meeting with Tomislav Nikolic and Ivica Dacic (Beta, file) B92 Tanjug

Kosovo Serbs to meet with top officials on Thursday

Mayors and district heads will with the top state officials discuss a draft agreement initialed by Belgrade and Priština in Brussels on Friday.

Vasić expects the first deputy PM to show understanding for northern Kosovo Serbs’ position, “just like he has always done”.

“I expect that we will try to find a solution that would be satisfactory for the people in northern Kosovo. In any case, the Brussels agreement is not satisfactory to northern Kosovo. However, if some alternative solutions are found and whatever we agree with Mr. Vučić, we will try to implement it. But if our people do not like it, meaning if it does not suit them, we really cannot accept something that will lead our people in the Albanian state,” he stressed,

Serbs living south of the Ibar River are also carefully monitoring the latest events regarding the implementation of the Brussels agreement.

“I am sure that teams that will talk about the implementation of the agreement will be serious now. When it comes to south of the Ibar River, this is just a legalization of the situation that already functions and exists. With involvement and support of Belgrade, I think we are creating a serious and stable idea,” Gračanica Mayor Bojan Stojanović.

Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) official Ranđel Nojkić says that the agreement “despite how unfavorable it is and the fact it comes at a wrong time, still gives a certain chance”.

“This is the best possible solution in this situation. It actually gives a chance to equally defend Serbs in the entire area of Kosovo and Metohija regardless of where they live, north or south of the Ibar River,” he added.

Serb National Council’s Dragan Velić believes that the agreement is completely detrimental to Kosovo Serbs. Residents of Serb municipalities in Kosovo have a similar opinion and they fear that they will not be able to continue to live in their homes.

According to Vasić, Zvečan Mayor Dragiša Milović, Zubin Potok Mayor Slaviša Ristić, Kosovska Mitrovica District Head Radenko Nedeljković, Office for Kosovo Deputy Director Krstimir Pantić, Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor Dragiša Vlašković and Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) MP Bojan Jakovljević will also attend the meeting with Vučić on Thursday.

Former State Secretary for Kosovo Oliver Ivanović told B92 earlier today that northern Kosovo Serbs demanded guarantees that Serbia was not forcing them into the Priština institutions.

“I think that it is important to explain to our representatives what exactly was agreed, to give them additional guarantees, that is something that the population is especially worried about because they have a feeling that Serbia is in a way pushing them into the Priština institutions due to lack of information. These citizens certainly will not look for an alternative state because Serbia is the only state, but I think that it is important that they have good communication with the Belgrade authorities in order to avoid misunderstandings,” he stressed.

Belgrade and Priština's teams should present a plan for the implementation of the agreement on Thursday in Brussels.