Celic: Osmani's statement on the CSM unrealistic, a bluff by Pristina for political bargaining

Duško Čelić
Source: Kosovo Online

Dusko Celic, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Law, University of North Mitrovica, described Vjosa Osmani's statement – that Pristina could establish the Community of Serb Municipalities if it receives guarantees for membership in international organizations – as a bluff by Pristina aimed at political bargaining.

"Osmani's statement is just another game or deception. On the other hand, it is clear that she and the Albanian authorities in Pristina are no longer hiding the fact that this is a form of political trade. They are essentially saying, 'Alright, we will form the CSM, we will make a painful compromise, but in return, Pristina must receive everything it didn’t achieve in Brussels negotiations, including UN membership and recognition of independence by Serbia.' I believe such a trade is not feasible from Serbia’s and Belgrade’s perspective," Celic told Kosovo Online.

He adds that such an outcome is unrealistic, especially since the Brussels process is "in a kind of standstill."

"To put it bluntly, it is practically in a state of clinical death. For at least the next three to four months, we can’t discuss it as an active process, so from that perspective, Osmani’s statement is entirely unrealistic," he said.

Osmani drew a parallel with the Ahtisaari Plan, which led to Kosovo declaring independence. Celic notes that the only similarity, if Pristina were to act unilaterally, would be that very little of the Brussels Agreement would remain.

He explains that everything Pristina has implemented unilaterally has been outside the framework of agreements, thus, even if the CSM were to be established, it wouldn’t serve the interests of the Serbian people in Kosovo.

"For example, agreements on issues like cadastral records or other accords have been systematically undermined by Pristina, even when they rhetorically claimed to be implementing them unilaterally. It seems likely that any limited competencies granted to the CSM would also be diluted by Pristina. The only connection to the Ahtisaari Plan, if I may say so, is that the implementation of the Ahtisaari Plan was also undermined, leaving very little of it intact," Celic remarked.

He recalled that the process of constituting the Brussels Agreement administration has not been completed either.

"Moreover, the new US administration doesn’t take office until January 20, so I believe the entire statement is a kind of bluff by Pristina," he said.

Celic added that, hypothetically, such actions would have catastrophic consequences for the Serbian community.

"At this moment, we have no guarantees on how Pristina could unilaterally implement the Brussels Agreement of 2013. We are already hearing rhetoric from Pristina suggesting that the CSM could be formed under existing Pristina regulations, as there are already communities of Albanian municipalities, so why not form the Community of Serb Municipalities as well? This represents a total undermining and dilution of the concept," the professor stated.

He says that the Serbian people in Kosovo should put forth a political demand not only to Pristina but also to Brussels.

"Since the CSM has not been realized, and given that the situation on the ground clearly indicates a lack of guarantees for sustaining Kosovo’s multiethnicity and the survival of the Serbian community, I believe the Serbian community should present a higher political demand, which could be a call for genuine autonomy," Celic concluded.