Vuletic: Serbs expect the international community to act in accordance with their word

Sociologist Vladimir Vuletic tells Kosovo Online that the international community in a way committed to resolving the issue with Albanian mayors in the north urgently, and it's been almost a year now that this problem has been dragged on, while Pristina keeps bringing up new conditions and demands.

The question arises, he says, of whether something new would appear as a condition even if citizens participated in the referendum for their removal, which is one reason why Serbs, in his opinion, rightfully do not want to participate in it.

"They expect the international community to act in accordance with what they promised. Besides that, there are practical reasons for not participating in the referendum related to the policy led by Albin Kurti because ever since he took the helm of the interim institutions, he has been pressuring Serbs who then either emigrated or sought some kind of refuge. The question is whether this referendum could be carried out and present a realistic situation on the ground," Vuletic says for Kosovo Online.

If Albanian mayors remain in office, he says it will create practical problems because some significant projects in municipalities have already been halted because they are not in their interest.

"They are not there to pursue policies that would benefit Serbs. For example, funds have been allocated for building a rectorate in North Mitrovica, but the projects have been halted. Both students and teaching staff suffer, and all of this makes life harder for Serbs. What I fear is that we will soon have a new situation where there will be an attack on educational, maybe even healthcare institutions, in a similar manner to how the banking system was attacked," Vuletic points out.

Regarding the statements from the US and Germany expressing regret over the decision of Serbian parties to boycott the referendum on the mayors' removal, Vuletic says there are two perspectives on what is happening in Kosovo.

"For Americans and Germans, Kurti's policies and behavior are in their interest, as if Kosovo were an independent state, and these attempts to frame the whole thing as if the problem lies with Serbs. These two countries would like Serbs to enter into the 'normal' processes that an independent state has. If things are framed like that, then Serbs 'are the problem.' But if you frame things differently, according to Resolution 1244, then they cannot be seen in that way. We could also ask why Albanians do not participate in elections in Serbia. Of course, that is unrealistic, but then let's also accept that what they expect from Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija is also unrealistic," Vuletic concludes.