Starovic: No matter how dissatisfied we are, we must not step away from the negotiations in Brussels

The Minister of Labor, Employment, Veteran, and Social Affairs in the Government of Serbia, Nemanja Starovic, emphasizes that the talks in Brussels are without concrete results due to Pristina's refusal to even discuss the European draft statute for the Community of Serb Municipalities. He also notes that no matter how dissatisfied Belgrade is, it must not leave the negotiating table, as the consequences could be drastic, RTS reports.

"Common sense dictates that no one can expect the Republic of Serbia to commit to implementing something new based on the conclusions from Ohrid if decisive steps are not taken towards what has been Pristina's obligation for the past 11 years, which is the formation of the CSM. I cannot be very optimistic when talking about the continuation of the negotiation process," Starovic points out.

He adds that the parties have been given a deadline to submit their written responses to the proposals presented by July 18.

He indicates that no matter how justifiably dissatisfied Belgrade is, it must not be the side that steps away from the negotiating table, as the consequences in such a case could be very drastic.

"And if you ask me for my personal opinion on the negotiation process itself, my fear is that the negotiation process is becoming more and more irrelevant given everything that is happening in Brussels. It is less and less reflected in the situation on the ground, which is changing exclusively through the unilateral actions of Pristina's administration, Albin Kurti, now for an extended period," Starovic emphasizes.

He reminds that for a full year, there has been no possibility for goods produced in central Serbia to be traded in Kosovo. There remains the issue of illegitimate mayors and municipal assembly members in northern Kosovo.

"We still have a regime that resembles a military occupation with the constant deployment of these special militarized monoethnic Albanian forces, the so-called Kosovo Police. And all this drastically changes the situation on the ground, happening completely outside the framework of the Brussels dialogue, which is why it is becoming more and more irrelevant. These actions do not encounter any verbal condemnation from international actors, primarily the Quint states, but without the ultimate effect that would lead to the withdrawal of these actions," Starovic assesses.

He believes that a very fundamental change is needed in the approach of key international actors to restore some credibility and relevance to the Brussels dialogue itself.

This, he emphasizes, can only be done by stopping and preventing the implementation of the pattern of unilateral measures that Pristina has been carrying out since Kurti came to power.

"There is no benefit from setting up rather meaningless political obstacles concerning progress in the dialogue, when it is already clear to everyone that the side blocking and undermining this dialogue is Pristina, and there is not the slightest responsibility from official Belgrade," Starovic concludes.