Radosavljevic: Pristina is engaged in forced territorial integration, not integration of the population in the north

In comments on the implementation plan of the agreements from last year's dialogue that Pristina submitted to Brussels, the Kosovo government claims that Kosovo has fulfilled part of its obligations. However, the executive director of the NGO New Social Initiative, Jovana Radosavljevic, tells Kosovo Online that what Kosovo has done boils down to the complete disintegration of Kosovo Serbs, that is, Serbian institutions in Kosovo.

Radosavljevic adds that it seems that regarding the suggestions the Kosovo side sent to Brussels, this is a topic only in Kosovo, and specifically for Pristina's chief negotiator, Besnik Bislimi.

"Last September, an implementation plan was proposed that Serbia accepted. In the meantime, Kosovo has come up with its suggestions to perhaps show that they are the constructive side in the dialogue and that they want to sit at the negotiating table, even though the situation on the ground looks completely different. Essentially, they do not want any progress, at least not in the format and sequence proposed by the EU. Specifically, I mean the formation of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities, which is a priority, as we have heard countless times from European representatives, other international officials, and Serbian representatives, that the CSM is the primary issue that must be addressed before anything else. Meanwhile, the Kosovo side has a different sequence, where at least this government focuses on recognition first, then everything else," Radosavljevic says.

The fact that the Kosovo side sent their suggestions to Brussels is not a sign to our interlocutor that they will be more constructive in the dialogue in the upcoming period.

"I would say this is a kind of simulation of constructiveness in the dialogue process, not their genuine desire to make some concrete progress on normalizing relations with Belgrade. In these circumstances, it is very unlikely to expect any constructive steps from both Belgrade and Pristina, at least not this year, as we are also waiting for the American elections in November, as well as the Kosovo elections. It seems that the Kosovo side is very focused on changing the situation on the ground, specifically on forced territorial integration, not the integration of the population in northern Kosovo, nor on normalizing relations and communication with its citizens," Radosavljevic assesses.

She points out that ten years after the signing of the First Brussels Agreement, all those institutions that were integrated in the meantime have been disintegrated, that Serbs are outside the institutions, and that there is an unwillingness on the part of Kosovo to do anything regarding the implementation of the CSM. She emphasizes that Pristina is dealing with individual elements that fall under the CSM, but in a manner that is not in the format of dialogue with Belgrade.

"This is treated as an internal issue of Kosovo. And here we come to the key issue, which is the issue of the dinar, as a unilateral decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo and countless attempts by European mediators to reach a solution on this issue. Now we also have the final decision on the passports of the Coordinating Directorate so that they fall under the EU visa-free regime, and a very sharp reaction from Kosovo officials, led by Foreign Minister Gervalla-Schwarz, who accuse certain European officials of working on the disintegration or separation of Kosovo Serbs, even though, essentially, Kosovo and Serbia were on the verge of mutually recognizing passports in addition to personal documents," Radosavljevic says.