Office for Kosovo and Metohija
Government of the Republic of Serbia

Đurić: We will demand an explanation from HRVP Mogherini

Serbia will demand from the EU foreign policy and security minister, Federica Mogherini, an explanation for the praise given to Pristina in the European Commission's Progress Report about the fact that they are planning to establish the Community of Serbian Municipalities, the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Marko Đurić said today.

He pointed out that five years have passed since the signing of the Brussels Agreement and if the international Community had wanted the Community of Serb Municipalities to be formed, it would have happened by now.

“Not a thing has been done for five years, and now they praise Pristina just because it has been brandishing a piece of paper. This clearly illustrates that no substantial, real pressure is exerted on Pristina,” Đurić told TV Prva.

He added that other topics of discussion with Mogherini related to Kosovo and Metohija will include that of the one of the least successful of all EU missions, i.e. the EULEX mission, and many other things.

Đurić reiterated that Serbs would be willing to hold for a three-month deadline announced by Pristina for the formation of the Community, but that they would also exercise their legal rights, adding that a meeting of the CSM Management team would be held in Zvečan today.

“In calling for a meeting of the Management Team today to discuss the formation of the CSM, the Serbs are upholding the Brussels Agreement, and they have the right to do so. That does not constitute a unilateral move nor an attempt to do anything beyond what was agreed," Đurić emphasized.

He added that the EU stated that the Management Team could function in full mandate as of April 4.

“The Management Team will hold a meeting and send a clear message as to the kind of the CSM that the Serbs would like to see, and that it is the Community as agreed in Brussels, instead of the endeavors on the part of Albanians towards suspending or reducing its competences by means of a the decisions of its Constitutional Court,” he said.

Asked if he expected Pristina to fulfill his promise, Đurić said that he hardly expected anything from Pristina, recalling that the first deadline for establishing the Community was May 2013, and that it is now May 2018.

“If they wanted to establish anything, they would have done it by now. They pretend to want the Community, and looking at many of the things they did on the ground, it often seems they only pretend to want normal relationships. If you want normal relationships and genuine reconciliation you do not mishandle and abuse the democratically elected representatives," Đurić said.

Đurić reiterated that Serbia wants to preserve peace and stability, and that the objective is to ensure that the Serb people in Kosovo and Metohija are safe.

Latest News