Office for Kosovo and Metohija
Government of the Republic of Serbia

Đurić: Pristina's decision “murdering” dialogue, Belgrade not acquiescing to circus spectacles

Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Đurić said that the authorities in Priština are „murdering the dialogue“ with their failure to implement the Brussels agreement which provides for the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities.

Đurić stated that Belgrade would not acquiesce to the “circus shows” and that it keeps calling for the prompt implementation of the agreed.

“Serbia will not forfeit the agreements made, and anyone thinking otherwise is mistaken. If the Constitutional court is an authoritative instance for Priština – it is not so for us. The agreement on the Community of Serbian Municipalities was not made with Priština’s Constitutional Court but with the elected representatives of the Kosovo Albanians” Đurić pointed out at the Pink TV.

Đurić said that Belgrade can only talk to Kosovo representatives about how Priština can transfer more powers than envisaged in the agreement itself, since the agreement provides for the possibility that additional powers be transferred to the ZSO.

"We regard all of this as mere game playing and circus spectacle. For the sake of the credibility of the dialogue it is necessary to follow through on the deals. If anyone is thinking about supporting the resumption of the dialogue, they must know what trust must be won back and this can only be done through implementing the agreed. We cannot tolerate any toying with making amendments to the agreements reached. If they want, they can discuss that among themselves," Đurić pointed out.

He said that our side is waiting for Priština to promptly implement the hitherto agreed, and underlined that it would be inconceivable that someone in Belgrade negotiated something and then started making fun of the other side and the international community.

Đurić added that in that case Serbia would find itself the target of condemnations and sanctions.

What is happening now, Đurić stated, are attempts to not only traduce the rights of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, but to also "murder the dialogue".

Speaking about the forthcoming establishment of two new companies in northern Kosovo and Metohija - EPS Trade and ELEKTROSEVER, Đurić said that there is a huge problems with billing and collection in Kosovo and Metohija, because neither the Serbs nor Albanians have paid their bills in the previous period.

Đurić pointed out that state is suffering huge loses by financing those bills, and that the Government and the Office intend to help the two new companies to be able to collect electricity bills and operate in a comercially economical manner.

"Because if they declare bankruptcy, Priština would take them over, along with their assets," he added.