Milivojevic on the Assembly session about Kosovo: A unified position strengthens Belgrade's negotiating capacity

Former diplomat Zoran Milivojevic says about the Serbian Government's report on the negotiation process with Pristina, which will be discussed at tomorrow's special session of the Government, that political parties and individuals should show seriousness because this is a state and not a political issue, RTS reports.

"It is clear what position we are in and that we have pressure from the outside to resolve this issue quickly, and it is going in a direction that does not coincide with our interests," Milivojevic stated.

Milivojevic says that pressures and sparks outside of Serbia, including the latest non-papers and American dispatches, are expected.

"All this is expected and is not a surprise, but we need seriousness on the domestic scene. We are faced with the most important issue of state and national importance, we need political responsibility and seriousness," Milivojevic said.

He points out that it is not possible to discuss the interests of certain political structures beyond that main issue, which, he points out, is a state issue, not a political one. He expects a stormy session - a repetition of something we have seen before.

"I think that there is a unified position when it comes to parliamentary parties on one issue, which is indisputable, that there is no recognition, confirmation of Kosovo's independence and Pristina's accession to the UN. That is important, but tomorrow is an opportunity to confirm that position as a unified, national position and for him to explain himself," Milivojevic said, noting that this strengthened Belgrade's negotiating capacity.

Milivojevic says that without the formation of the CSM - there are no negotiations.

"Serbia's position is completely clear, as is America's position - they say that the Brussels Agreement is an international agreement. Then it is not subjected to any other criteria, changes, and interventions; it is applied as agreed and signed. Serbia's position is clear - it had to be formed the way it was defined in 2013 and 2015, in that sense I treat all of this as an attempt to reopen the issue of the CSM and that there is an interest in somehow diluting what was previously defined and agreed upon," Milivojevic said.

He adds that the formation of the CSM is a prerequisite to entering into an essential dialogue and creating an environment for a political solution that would be based on compromise and security and stability in Kosovo.

The Government of Serbia submitted the "Report on the negotiation process with the institutions in Pristina, from September 1, 2022, to January 15, 2023" to the deputies.

The report points out that, in this period there was an escalation of the crisis, as well as systemic discrimination and violence against the Serbs in Kosovo, and assesses that the Pristina side is solely responsible for such developments. It is also emphasized that Belgrade would not give up on the demand that the CSM be formed urgently, as well as that the Government of Serbia would continue to focus on the immediate protection of the security of the Serbs in the province, as well as on the protection of Serbian national interests.

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, will also participate in the special session of the parliament where this report will be discussed, and the session will start tomorrow at 10 am. The day before the session, Vucic said that he would answer everyone at the parliamentary session, but he assessed that many people did not come to that session for answers, but for self-promotion.