Day: August 15, 2018
Thaci’s message to Serbia
Marija Stojanovic of Belgrade daily Danas has kindly provided permission for me to publish in English this interview with Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, which appeared today:
WE WILL NOT ALLOW CREATION OF REPUBLIKA SRPSKA IN KOSOVO
Thaci: “We are in a critical period of dialogue between our two countries. As leadership responsible to well-being of our children, I think both President Vucic and myself are keen not to allow for past to block our future or to threaten peace in our region in five or fifty years.
I have entered politics at a very young age, as a student leader and I always said I have three political aims: firstly to liberate Kosovo from the Serbian military and police occupation; secondly to make Kosovo an independent and sovereign republic and thirdly to ensure we become equal members of NATO and EU” – has stated for Danas Kosovo President Hasim Taci, discussing about Brussels negotiations with Serbian President Aleksander Vucic on solution of Kosovo question.
Both Presidents of Kosovo and Serbia have in recent weeks started talking about a border demarcation or adjustment. Both of you have also indicated that the final agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, will be painful. Yet, public knows very little about the progress in your dialogue in Brussels, or event the framework of any such agreement. Can you tell us more about the expectations you have about the final agreement?
– Kosovo is already a moral and political victor because our people are free. They live in a free country, recognized by overwhelming number of UN members. But we now must move rapidly towards locking our place in NATO and UN. Dialogue with Serbia, regional cooperation and reconciliation are crucial conditions for this aim.
I am not talking to Belgrade because of some sort of nostalgia. I don’t suffer from Yugo-nostalgia like some do. Nor do I talk to Belgrade because I like spending time in corridors of Brussels, eating cold sandwiches until late hours of evening. No – I’m talking to Vucic and I’m keen to find a solution because I want to see us in NATO and EU, sooner rather than later. I’ll be very honest, I don’t think we will get there until we have undisputed and unquestioned border between two countries. We have to have a fully agreed border demarcation, so we don’t leave some open issues to become point of dispute in the future.
My aim is not some ethnic partition, nor is [it] creation of a second Republika Srpska in our territory – heaven forbid – my aim is to settle the 400km of border and that process may require creative solutions that will provide peace now and in the future.
Yet, you have stated recently that you want to help Presevo valley Albanians join Kosovo as part of this dialogue? Why open this issue now? Never before has this issue been opened in Brussels? Do you think Belgrade will allow to give territory without getting something substantive back?
– Presevo valley, people of these three municipalities have already expressed their desires and their political aims in a referendum in 1992. It’s clear that any border demarcation between two countries will matter to these families and these citizens. Their interests must be respected and taken into account. There is an old saying: “if there is a will, there is a way.” Well, I believe that if there is a will among leadership in Kosovo and Serbia to find creative solutions, we will find a way to accommodate people in these border regions to feel safe, secure and with economic and political future secured. Both Serbs in north Kosovo as well as Albanians in Presevo valley care most about jobs and economy. Who will invest in our countries if we have open border questions lingering for decades? How will we prevent our young people to leave if they have to face discrimination or fear every 10 years or every 20 years?
Mr President, if we may insist, we are still missing concrete descriptions of solutions? Are you and Vucic speaking on top of maps, with coordinates of the villages and borders like in Dayton or what is the process happening now?
– Rest assured, last thing in my mind is Dayton. I have declared independence of Kosovo as a sovereign, secular and civic republic. Civic it shall remain. Maps will not define the destiny of people. People will define destiny of maps. Former Yugoslavia has been dissolved and there are seven states that were created from that bloody process that was initiated solely in Belgrade – when people in some circles in Belgrade started obsessing with maps and memorandums. That obsession with maps brought mayhem and genocide.
The final agreement between Kosovo and Serbia will be European agreement. It will be endorsed by both Brussels and Washington. And it will be finalized with a new UN resolution in UNSC, to open EU perspective for both Kosovo and Serbia. Either this will be a European solution with EU and US support or there will be no deal.
What happens if there is no deal? Many people both in Serbia but also in Kosovo, have stated that it’s better to keep status-quo? Will there be violence?
– Status-quo is a long-term invitation for trouble. Criminals, populists, nationalists, third parties from outside our region – they are seeking status-quo to operate and to undermine Europe, NATO and overall Western establishment. Balkans is secure today, we even had some progress, like the fantastic deal between Greece and Macedonia as well as Montenegro accession to NATO; but we can’t stop without finalizing all open bilateral issues.
I don’t fear violence today. I’m worried by the propaganda in Belgrade that some sort of plan is being prepared by Kosovo police or army to enter into war, or “take over north”. This is stupid and dangerous. Kosovo police and Kosovo army are trained by NATO, by EU and they are respectful of Euro-Atlantic values. But if we don’t solve the relationships now, we are wasting the opportunity for another generation or two to have normal life.
Why to postpone solution, if both sides are ready to close painful chapter of past? Why to leave our children hostages of mythical, historic dreams? It’s clear that Kosovo and Serbia are separate countries. But it’s also clear that they are neighbors that must talk and resolve open disputes.
Do EU and US support your stance? There are mixed signals coming from EU capitals. London and Berlin have been vocal against border adjustments. Washington is staying silent. Moscow is following carefully.
– We are having in dialogue in Brussels and there are always representatives of US government in all stages of dialogue so both EU and US support a mutual agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, there is no doubt about it.
I could say that we have lacked [a] bit of focus – especially from Brussels – but the world is a difficult place and it’s becoming more difficult. I don’t have illusions like some people do, thinking we are center of the world and everyone has to listen to our wishes and our demands. No, we have a very narrow window of opportunity and very little bandwidth in major capitals to deal with Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. So we must use this opportunity while there is time and willingness with our allies to close the deal and support the final deal.
What will happen to southern Serbs in Kosovo if there is border adjustment? Many people fear exodus like in “Oluja” in Croatia?
– This is an orchestrated propaganda. No one will touch dear Serbs in south, north, west or east of Kosovo. There was also propaganda when we declared independence in 2008, that Serbs will leave in tractors but they didn’t. They stayed in Kosovo, and they even participated in the creation of Kosovo institutions, police, parliament, constitutional court.
Serbs are today integrated and I don’t see any reason for people in Strpce or Gracanica or anywhere to fear their future in Kosovo. A final deal between Prishtina and Belgrade will help them because it will diminish threats from nationalists and extremists from their own Serbian community that hang over their head. I’m using this interview again to call all Serbs, all minorities in Kosovo to rest assured that their country is Kosovo and they have secured future in this country.
Will Serbian Orthodox Church receive same assurances?
Serbian Orthodox Church is a constitutional category in Kosovo and receives constitutional protection. Unfortunately, it’s sometimes most politicized of organized religious communities in Kosovo as some bishops, especially some extremist ones from outside Kosovo, send very unfortunate messages. I never respond to these statements, as I don’t want to put the position of Serbian clergy in Kosovo in a political landscape. I try to protect them from their own.
I’m very proud of the diversity of heritage in Kosovo and I have promoted interfaith dialogue as a key component of reconciliation. Prizren, Decan, Orahovac are beautiful and touristic places also because of rich diversity, Albanian, Serbian, Turkish, Bosniak. The major communities in Kosovo, like Muslims, Orthodox, Catholic, Jewish, Sufi – they were here during Ottoman Empire, during Serbian occupation, during Yugoslavian dictatorship and they will be here in the future. Read more
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Even discussion can destabilize
I did a long interview with Pristina daily Kosova Sot Monday, before I’d heard about Chancellor Merkel’s statement ruling out border changes in the Balkans. It was published today:
- Recently, the Kosovo President has discussed the topic of separation in talks with Serbia as well as the idea of the territory exchange. How do you value this?
A: I don’t like it. No country worthy of European Union membership needs to trade away part of its population. Equality under the law has to apply to everyone.
- President Hashim Thaci is insisting for, as he says, a border correction, by taking the Presevo Valley by Kosovo, but Thaci does not mention what Serbia wins in such a case. How do you comment president Thaci’s policy, knowing the fact that he, until recently, was against partition and border changes?
A: I imagine he is responding to President Vucic’s frequently expressed interest in the four northern municipalities in Kosovo. There can be no one-way swap. It has to be an exchange.
- Kosovo’s constitution prohibits Kosovo from joining another country while specifying where the borders are. Does that mean that President Thaci is violating the constitution?
A: Anyone can propose an amendment to the constitution. Advocating one does not violate the constitution, but it does put the President in an awkward position of not appearing to defend something he has sworn to uphold.
- This year, it was necessary to set aside the Special Court that will judge the former KLA leaders, who are today in the main political positions in Kosovo. For many, the opening of territorial bargaining with Serbia is also seen as a consequence of the fear of justice and a kind of bazaar but how much can it be true in this middle and according to you why the Special Court is not yet operating?
A: I think the Special Court is operating, it just hasn’t brought any indictments. You’ll have to ask them why not. I know of no reason why discussion of land swaps would prevent such indictments. Do you?
- Do you feel that Trump administration has a change of attitude regarding the partition of Kosovo?
A: The change of attitude is not so much about partition as about whether such things should be discussed, or not. An ethnic nationalist Administration, which is what the U.S. currently has, finds it harder to rule out ethnic nationalist solutions like a land swap than a liberal democratic Administration, like those of Obama, Bush and Clinton.
- There is news that even Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama interfered in this process of territorial negotiation. Do you really believe that?
A: You’ll need to ask him. I don’t think the politicians in either Pristina or Tirana are going to be much interested in moving to the other place if Greater Albania comes into existence.
- If the division occurs, what are possible consequences for Kosovo but also for the region? Could this affect the situation in Macedonia, in Bosnia etc?
A: Yes, partition of Kosovo would end the presence of Serbs south of the Ibar, lead to instability in Macedonia and 3-way partition in Bosnia. None of that will occur peacefully.
- Kosovo has an obligation to make the Association of Serbian Municipalities but is afraid it can bring autonomy within Kosovo, that is, a sort of ‘Bosnification’. Can this be avoided?
A: The constitutional court has made it absolutely clear how this can be avoided.
- Is it practical the idea of holding a referendum on the end of talks with Serbia?
A: No.
- There are debates in Kosovo on who should lead the dialogue and there is an opposition to president Thaci. Who should, according to you, make a lead in the dialogue?
A: I think the Unity Team that conducted the Ahtisaari negotiations was a fine idea. I don’t know if it can repeated.
- Do you believe that the Haradinaj government, which barely has any numbers for its existence, will lead to the end of this process or should a country go to the elections and then enter the dialogue?
A: That’s a question for your President and parliament to answer, not me. The question is whether a new election would produce a clearer and more functional majority. It is hard to know in advance.
- What influence do you think Russia has in the region and Kosovo through Serbia in these developments?
A: Russia is doing its best to destabilize the region. It is opposing the “North Macedonia” referendum, it is arming Dodik’s police, and it is encouraging partition talk, from which Moscow stands to gain. I wouldn’t rule out another assassination attempt against one or another Balkan leader.
- Often, from various diplomats, Kosovo is asked to seek creative solutions. What kind of creativity is needed, regarding to you?
A: I’m in favor of the kind of creativity that makes Kosovo a NATO and EU member as soon as possible. That means no partition, equal treatment for all citizens, an Association of Serb Municipalities within the parameters laid out by the constitutional court, and a government committed not just to legislation consistent with the acquis communautaire but also to implementing the acquis as rapidly as possible.
- What is the role of EU in these developments around the talks, knowing that EU was mediator until now?
A: So far as I am aware, the EU is still mediator and will preside over any discussion of land (and people) swaps. I doubt Vucic and Thaci will come to any agreement. Each one wants what he wants without giving anything up. Thaci will want the north, especially the water supply there, to remain inside Kosovo. Vucic will not want to give municipalities to Kosovo that lie along Serbia’s main route to the sea. But even discussion of land swaps can be destabilizing and lead to serious problems in the region and beyond. If I were Vucic and Thaci, I would want to avoid being blamed for that.
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