Stevic: The international community is a key factor in resolving the issues of education and health care

Education and health care are two pillars of the survival of Serbs in these areas, and the issue of their integration into Kosovo’s system cannot be resolved until negotiations take place and, through dialogue, the best solutions are found that will primarily suit the Serbian community, and in no other way, Lazar Stevic, a journalist from North Mitrovica, told Kosovo Online.

He states that Albin Kurti has shut down all structures that operated under the Republic of Serbia in Kosovo, and that only education and health care remain, which are a thorn in his side and the next step he is prepared to take.

“He convened a meeting in Pristina at which he informed ambassadors that health care and education must be incorporated into the system of the Republic of Kosovo. What is surprising is that no one from the international community reacted to his presentation and that there was neither condemnation nor confirmation of whether they support it or not. This is what concerns and interests Serbs here in Kosovo: what the reaction of the international community will be,” Stevic emphasizes.

He recalls that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Petar Petkovic, Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, have said many times that such major decisions can only be made through dialogue in Brussels and in no other way.

“I do not believe that Serbs will so easily agree to resolve this issue without the participation of representatives of Belgrade, that is, President Aleksandar Vucic. There are many problems here, and I do not believe that the international community will remain silent on this. Kurti tested the situation and said that he must implement the decisions stemming from the Brussels Agreement. However, he implements only those decisions that suit him and benefit him, and does not implement what is very important for the Serbian community, namely the Community of Serb Municipalities. On that, he remains silent,” our interlocutor says.

Because of all this, according to Stevic, the international community will be the key factor in resolving this issue.

“If they remain silent, as they were silent about the closure of provisional bodies across Kosovo, the post office, banks, that will give him a tailwind to move forward with implementing the goal of integrating health care and education, and that will truly be a huge problem, in addition to the existing ones brought by the Law on Foreigners and Vehicles. The unilateral actions that Albin Kurti is carrying out and is certainly ready to carry out again this time will bring nothing good and could lead to a new escalation on the ground,” Stevic believes.