Gudzic: Pristina has been the champion of violating international agreements for years

Historian from Gracanica, Aleksandar Gudzic, assessed that Pristina had been the “champion of violating international agreements” in recent years, as well as the basic rights of Serbs in Kosovo.

"Experience has shown that all agreements and treaties signed between Belgrade and Pristina have ultimately remained dead letters on paper. Neither side has shown a willingness to honor these agreements. For years, Pristina has proven to be the champion of violating international agreements and treaties, and failing to fulfill assumed obligations. Who today remembers the obligations that Pristina previously undertook through the Brussels Agreements?" Gudzic says for Kosovo Online.

He adds that the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities is no longer mentioned in the Albanian media, and for the political elites in Pristina, it is on par with a non-governmental organization without any rights and jurisdictions.

"The obligations and agreements that the majority side, the Albanian side, took upon itself have not been fulfilled. And Serbs are witnessing violations of their rights at every step, from the use of language, positive discrimination, and the obligation of the majority population to employ a certain number of Serbs proportionally. Therefore, this is not respected at all. And for this reason, Serbs do not trust any agreements or obligations that Pristina would undertake," Gudzic emphasizes.

Commenting on the results of the UNDP research and the small percentage of Serbs who believe that a normalization agreement could enable them to live a more normal life, Gudzic said that the reasons should be sought in the inflammatory rhetoric of Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

"That inflammatory rhetoric of Albin Kurti produces incidents on the ground, and from time to time, there are interethnic incidents. The media seize the opportunity to report on this, which creates insecurity and discomfort among Serbs. Last year, when there was a conflict between Serbs and the Kosovo police in Mitrovica, the Albanian media reported it, and it immediately reflected on the relations between Serbs and Albanians. Frequent provocations immediately followed," Gudzic explains.

He says that he himself had been targeted just for driving a car with Serbian license plates, but he warns that provocations also occur without any clear reason.

"This creates discomfort, and Serbs feel unsafe. If you will, Serbs have been living with the knowledge for 20 years that the March Pogrom could be repeated and that they could experience the same fate they did in 2004," Gudzic points out.