Petkovic: Formation of the CSM crucial, problems should be resolved through dialogue

Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, after a new round of talks in Brussels, stated that the Serbian delegation had insisted on the formation of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities and emphasized that problems must be resolved through dialogue, not unilateral measures.

Petkovic, in a statement to journalists, said that he had discussions with the EU envoy Miroslav Lajcak and then a direct conversation with the Pristina side, which he characterized as positive, considering that there had been no direct talks on which Serbia insisted in the past months.

"The first thing the Serbian delegation insisted on is the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities as the most important, crucial issue, which primarily concerns the fate and future of the Serbs in Kosovo. The second important issue we insisted on is the issue of the dinar, considering Pristina's unilateral decision to abolish the dinar, and thus social benefits and tuition fees for citizens of Serbia who receive those funds from Serbia," he explained.

He said that it had been most important for the Serbian delegation to clearly outline everything that complicates the survival and life of the Serbs in Kosovo, all the violent and unilateral measures of Pristina.

He reminded that the embargo on Serbian goods that could not reach the territory of Kosovo had been going on for nine months.

He also stated that discussions had been held on numerous incidents and attacks on the Serbs, the closure of Serbian institutions, including Serbian clinics in Pristina, and the behavior of the Pristina authorities towards the Serbs.

"We pointed out the very difficult position of the Serbs in Kosovo, which has been further complicated by the decision to ban the dinar, affecting the elderly, employed individuals, and children, as well as our institutions, given that Serbia provided the financial resources necessary for the functioning of these institutions such as hospitals, schools, and kindergartens. For us, the formation of the CSM is crucial because it completely resolves the issue of funding for all our institutions and the Serbs as envisaged by the Brussels Agreement and other agreements," he emphasized.

He conveyed that the Kosovo negotiator Besnik Bislimi insisted on formalizing the Ohrid Agreement, while the Serbian delegation spoke about the necessity of forming the CSM.

"It's about an agreement signed 11 years ago, which was also signed by the EU as its guarantor. What happens when we don't have the CSM, let alone that the Serbs are leaving, especially in the north, because they cannot tolerate the terror of the Kosovo police? Let's not talk about what they are doing regarding elections, with false mayors," he stressed.

Petkovic highlighted that problems must be resolved through dialogue, not through imposed solutions, and the fact that many thought Serbia was small and had to obey the orders of the great powers.

"The essence is that we must adhere to agreements and strive for peace and stability, in which Serbia leads, and seek compromise solutions for the survival of our people. If this continues, there will be no more Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija," he warned.

This, he says, must be stopped, and it must be the concern of the international community.

"I expect us to continue discussions early next week, Monday or Tuesday, to be even closer to agreements or move towards solutions related to the issue of the dinar," he emphasized.

Petkovic reminded that 90,000 Serbs from Kosovo have various incomes from Serbia and that it is important for them to be able to receive them in Kosovo, rather than having to cross the administrative border to access the money.

"This is something we will insist on because this is how we fight for the survival of the Serbs," he stressed.

Petkovic emphasized that the most important thing for Serbia was to find a solution that would allow employees, pensioners, social assistance recipients, and students to withdraw their money in Kosovo, which Serbia regularly and timely deposited into their accounts.

"Let's try to find a solution that will enable the operation of the Postal Savings Bank, which has been present in that area since 2018, which has been paying out money even south of the Ibar River. Let's not pretend that the Postal Savings Bank doesn't exist. It has been there for a long time, it has its branches. The entire payment system goes through the Postal Savings Bank. Over 50,000 accounts of citizens and institutions go through the Postal Savings Bank. It would further complicate the position of the Serbs if there were no solution," he emphasized.

He emphasized that Serbia was fighting to find a way for Serbs to survive in impossible conditions in Kosovo.