Another step forward
On January 17, the fourth round of talks on normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo was held in Brussels. Maja Kocijančić, the spokesperson for EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, who mediates in the dialogue, told media that the meeting lasted about five hours and was constructive.
The main focus was on how to distribute the customs revenue collected at recently established border checkpoints. The sides agreed that the money should be used for development projects in majority-Serb municipalities in northern Kosovo. Kosovo Prime minister Hashim Thaci said it would be done through a fund managed jointly by Priština, a Serb representative from the north and the EU.
The issue of parallel Serb institutions in northern Kosovo also was discussed for the first time as an official topic. While no conclusive agreement has been made, there are some grounds for optimism. Ivica Dačić, Serbian prime minister, said that whatever solution will be found in the end, it must be acceptable both to the Serbs and Priština. His Kosovo colleague, Hashim Thaci, announced that once the illegal institutions in the north are dissolved, local Serbs will choose their legitimate representatives in elections organized by Priština.
Perhaps more interesting is what the two prime ministers told media before the meeting. Thaci stated that the dialogue should result in Kosovo getting a seat in the UN. Dačić replied that everything can be discussed, provided that Priština is willing to make certain concessions in return. The response enraged hard-line nationalists in Serbia, and the opposition Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), the only openly anti-EU force in Parliament, immediately demanded that Dačić resign because of „treason“.
Similar was the reaction of Kosovo „Self-determination“ movement to Thaci’s announcement that customs revenue would be invested in development of Serb-dominated northern Kosovo municipalities, as they accused the prime minister of unconstitutionally giving „special autonomy“ to the north.
But something more worrying took place in Priština just a few hours after the meeting in Brussels was concluded. Three explosions burst almost concurrently at different locations, destroying three government-owned vehicles. A heretofore unheard-of organization called „Dissatisfield“ has claimed responsibility for the incident. In a message to newspaper „Express“, the group said it was a warning to the government, which they believe is „giving northern Kosovo over“.
So, what can be inferred from this available information? That the two prime misters have made another step forward in negotiations, as they did in each of the previous rounds. After Serbia’s – or, rather, President Nikolić’s – much criticized platform for Kosovo, it may be regarded as a somewhat unexpected achievement. At the same time, negative – at times even excessive – reactions from radical elements on both sides, who seek to thwart any effort at normalization between the countries, are indicative of how big the pressure is that the negotiators have to withstand. That is something that both western partners and domestic observers should be aware of when evaluating the results.
The next round of the dialogue is planned for the second half of February. There is a lot of speculation, mostly in the yellow press, that premature elections could be held in Serbia this year. The speculators believe Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić will try to capitalize on his growing popularity as the leader of anti-corruption campaign to win a larger share of power for him and his Serbian Progressive Party. I hope Vučić will wait at least until Dačić and Thaci accomplish what they have begun.
P.S: I’ve learned that Sunday, in the early morning, Serbian Gendarmerie removed the monument in the south Serbian town of Preševo, which the local Albanian-majority government recently put up in honor of fallen combatants from the former Liberation Army of Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa (LAPBM). The action was swift and went without incidents. The Kosovo government has condemned the move, but also called on the local Albanians not to react to the provocation, warning that such behavior by Belgrade is putting the dialogue at risk.
I don’t know what in Serbia’s legislation might have served as the legal foundation for the government to remove the monument, but I do know that Serbia has formally amnestied members of LAPBM as far back as 2002, recognizing them as a legitimate party in the peace negotiations at the time. But although this could affect the further course of the negotiations to some degree, it is very unlikely to terminate the process completely.
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14 thoughts on “Another step forward”
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“I don’t know what in Serbia’s legislation might have served as the legal foundation for the government to remove the monument.”
Well, such a monument is a structure according to the Building Code and the persons who bulit it didn’t possess the necessary building permit. Therefore, the authorities competent for oversight in construction ordered the monument’s removal. Do you think it would be feasible to build any such structure, let’s say, on the Trafalgar square without the expert authorities having been made aware of it?
First off, I did not deny the possibility that in Serbian legislation there is a clause according to which the construction of the monument at hand may be illegal. I am not a legal expert, so I don’t know if there is such clause, which is why I wrote the part you quoted: “I don’t know what in Serbia’s legislation might have served as the legal foundation for the government to remove the monument”.
But what I do know is the rest of the same sentence, which you failed to quote: “I do know that Serbia has formally amnestied members of LAPBM as far back as 2002, recognizing them as a legitimate party in the peace negotiations at the time”.
Now, if there is a clause that reads, for example, “no local/municipal authority can build a monument (no matter what kind of monument, or to whom is it dedicated) without permission from the Government (or some other institution at the national level)”, then the removal of the monument would undoubtedly have been legal.
But, in that case, Dačić (or any other government figure) should not call the monument a “provocation to Serbia or Serbs”, as they did; instead, they should have explained why it needs to be legally removed by citing the pertinent clause from the law. And given that Serbia has formally amnestied LAPBM members in 2002, as I emphasized, it is clear that no state official can publicly say that “the monument honors terrorists”.
Of course, anyone, including Dačić, has the right to privately consider them “terrorists”, but as state officials – and professionals – they should respect what is written in legal documents of the Republic of Serbia; and, according to these documents, they are clearly not terrorists.
That’s the whole point.
If the monument had just names without the logo and insignia of the so-called LAPBM, one might buy the argument that it was dedicated to individuals. However, the LAPBM logo and insignia are there in plain view, front and centre. The amnesty law only amnestied individuals, not the LAPBM as an organisation. The LAPBM used violence against civilians as a means of meeting its political goals. The qualifies it as a terrorist organisation by any definition.
At least Serbian authorities removed the monument quickly and without provocation. The Kosovo Albanians have started descreating Serbian cemetaries and gravestones in droves. Even the grave markers of the Serbian children murdered in Gorazdevac were desecrated last night.
The expected response, perhaps? One that will allow Dacic to argue that the two peoples can never live together and therefore the boundary between Serbia and Kosovo must be redrawn? There was a compromise deal for the memorial in the works, being negotiated with the OSCE, so there had to be some good political reason to rush ahead with the move. The government seems to be in a generally provocative mood these days – cyrillic bus signs in Novi Sad, telling the Europeans they should be grateful for Serbia defending them from the Turks for 600 years and give Serbia admission to the EU on that basis. Or maybe it’s all merely intended as distraction from the results of the talks with Thaci.
Fact: the Serbian government removed the illegal LAPBM monumnet after giving those who had erected it ample time to comply and find another location. The removal was done with care and the monument will be in a MUP storage facility until a compromise is worked out. Compare that with what the Kosovo Albanians did to the monument to WWII Partisan resistance fighters in the town of Vitina (see B92 article and youtube clip below).
Fact: Dozens of Serb gravestones, Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries have been attacked and vandalised over the past week.
See the B92 article below.
In Serbian:
http://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2013&mm=01&dd=21&nav_category=640&nav_id=679270
In English:
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/crimes-article.php?yyyy=2013&mm=01&dd=21&nav_id=84255
Amer, why don’t you for once condemn the crimes of the Kosovo Albanians instead of dropping red herrings like cyrillic bus signs in Novi Sad.
If the attacks on the Serb graveyards had been unprovoked, I’d be more inclined to condemn them. Or maybe, just if the Serbian commentators around the world were enjoying the chance to point to them with outrage a little less obviously. The Church and its properties are symbols of Serbian control in Kosovo – when people who moved out wanted to transfer the bodies of family members to new sites in Serbia, the Church wouldn’t allow it, or even in some cases even allow the damage graves to be be repaired, in order to have something to show to visiting foreigners. (This may have stopped since Artemije’s time, although the graveyard in Mitrovica apparently remains in shambles.) The graves are viewed by both sides as signs of past Serbian control and the possibility of its re-institution in the future, so it’s not surprising they come under attack when tensions run high. The Serbian government has a choice – establish friendly relations and expect their property to be respected, or provoke and then demand international condemnation and hope for diplomatic advantage when human nature responds as expected.
I have no problem condemning the desecration of graves, no matter who does it and no matter what supposedly provoked it. Though I would distinguish between acts of the state and acts of individuals, there is absolutely no excuse for individuals who perform these criminal acts, against whom the Kosovo state should proceed with vigor in court.
To quote Amer: “If the attacks on the Serb graveyards had been unprovoked, I’d be more inclined to condemn them.”
So you’re blaming the deceased for provoking attacks on their own graves. Nice.
To quote Amer: “Or maybe, just if the Serbian commentators around the world were enjoying the chance to point to them with outrage a little less obviously.”
What does this have to do with anything?! Either you’re against the desecration of graves or you’re not. According to this line of thinking anti-semitism or attacks on Jewish property shouldn’t be condemned because of what you might read on various Jewish message boards. Insane.
To quote Amer: “The Church and its properties are symbols of Serbian control in Kosovo – when people who moved out wanted to transfer the bodies of family members to new sites in Serbia, the Church wouldn’t allow it, or even in some cases even allow the damage graves to be be repaired, in order to have something to show to visiting foreigners.”
Do you have any evidence that the church prevented this? Message board posts don’t count, btw.
In case you haven’t noticed gravemarkers cost money. Some families have paid for graves to be repaired, others simply don’t have the money. How about the Albanians prosecute at least one vandal. Too much to ask? Probably.
To quote Amer:
“The graves are viewed by both sides as signs of past Serbian control and the possibility of its re-institution in the future, so it’s not surprising they come under attack when tensions run high.”
Actually, it is surprising when graves are attacked, especially like ones of those poor kids killed in Gorazdevac. Could you explain how murdered children represent the re-institution of Serbian control? Another red herring a la Amer.
To quote Amer:
“The Serbian government has a choice – establish friendly relations and expect their property to be respected, or provoke and then demand international condemnation and hope for diplomatic advantage when human nature responds as expected.”
According to your line of reasoning, Amer, American embassies around the world are fair game due to US foreign policy.
In this case the Kosovo authorities – not the Serbian goverment – have the clear obligation to protect property in Kosovo.
Amer, consider taking a page out of Mr. Serwer’s playbook on basic human deceny.
Mr. Serwer, thank you for taking the time to condemn the desecration of Serb graves in Kosovo.
We are talking about desecrating grave. A place where dead body lies. Those people who did it i mean what kind of mental mind we are talking about here regarding of any provocation?!?! What you are trying to point out is completely WRONG !
Just swap north Kosovo for Albanian parts of the presevo valley and get on with it already Serbs in northern Kosovo and Albanians in southern Serbia don’t want to live in the state they are currently apart of so just exchange regions and move on.
By doing this you would “trade” Albanian land with another Albanian land.
According to Albania their lands are from central montenegro to preveza and nis to Skopje .i would tred little Albania alliances in this new world tend to switch very quickly .If Kosovo wants to be fully recognized by the UN and eu as a whole or to integrate with Albania they will need to make a deal with Serbia give and take in land and populations.realistic compromise is the only way not boastful comments that it’s all Albanian land.
Peter,
I was expecting a reply like this one.
First, its not Albania who claims that Skopje, Preveza, and even Nis were once populated by Albanians as the majority. These are historical facts. Second, we are not asking Serbia to give us Nis back, we have no right over it, since its fully serbia-nized, but we do have rights on Skopje (Shkup). Preveza is a different story, but Greeks have to face the rights of the civilians that they kicked out decades ago, even though it will take time.
Third, it is not realistic to say that the North of Kosova is only populated by Serbs. This is a “virtual” and “well-maintained” reality by the Serbian institutions. There are plenty of Albanians that own apartments, houses, and used to live in the northern part, until 1999-2000. During that time they got kicked out by Serbia, even though there was international presence at that time in Mitrovica. For me, the nowadays situation does not present the reality.
Fourth, if North is the price that we have to pay to either join UN, or EU, I would still prefer the north rather than the other 2 organisations. There are many reasons that I have this opinion. It would be hard for Kosova to survive as a country if we give the north, because there is the Gazivoda lake which has a critical importance on the production of electricity in Kosova.
What’s the point of being UN or EU member when you are a non-functional country?!
Bosnia is a good example of what happens to a country if you divide it by ethnic borders. We do not want to be a second Bosnia, this is not what we have striven for.
It depends who is writing the history, I can claim as others have that argirokastro ,sarande and koritsa should be Greek but were will this get anyone.its history or fantasy or both.the cold hard facts are that Kosovo is striving for full recognition and integration within the eu and UN for this to happen a agreement and “peace treaty” will be needed to be signed between Kosovo and Serbia.thats reality.
Ps
As for preveza the reason the chams were trown out of Epirus was because as a community they collaborated with the axis powers in Greece against the local population.if you think you have case go to the echr or ICJ .