Radakovic: Kosovo in a serious systemic crisis, dialogue without concrete talks

The Executive Director of the Center for Advocacy of Democratic Culture in North Mitrovica, Dusan Radakovic, told Kosovo Online that during this year, which saw two election cycles in Kosovo, there were no serious discussions within the Belgrade–Pristina dialogue that resulted in any concrete steps. In his view, no substantial talks will take place before February.

“This year has definitely been lost. Two election cycles and possible parliamentary elections on December 14. We don’t have a functional government, there are problems in Serbia with the blockades – all of this has practically made it impossible to have a serious dialogue that would produce concrete steps on various issues – missing persons, license plates, documents, the Community of Serb Municipalities... These are all issues that could have been resolved and are important, and because of them the EU even introduced sanctions against Kosovo,” Radakovic said.

If new parliamentary elections are held in December, he estimates that there will certainly be no concrete talks in the dialogue before February, as discussions will in the meantime focus on forming coalitions, and then come the New Year holidays.

“However, with a serious government that should come after the new elections, it might be easier for Serbs to return to institutions – to the prosecution, the judiciary, and the police. I’m more in favor of elections and of a coalition that would have a stronger majority,” he said.

As a new upcoming challenge, he also pointed to the election of Kosovo’s president, scheduled for April, which requires a two-thirds majority or 80 deputies in the Assembly – something that, he says, will be very difficult to achieve under the current circumstances.

In the dialogue, he noted, there have been no positive developments in recent months because there have been no concrete discussions, as Kosovo is in a serious systemic crisis.

“Without a serious government in Pristina, a serious government on the Serbian side, and serious talks that are much better conducted than those led by Lajcak – talks that could bring concrete, positive steps on the issue of missing persons and other matters – everything else is just a formality meant to give the impression that negotiations are taking place. We are crying out for a serious dialogue, and this situation only harms the Serbs who live here,” Radakovic concluded.