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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia will not relinquish sovereignty, territorial integrity

Belgrade, 19 January 2009

Serbian Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Goran Bogdanovic said today in an interview with Blic newspaper that Belgrade is ready to talk to EULEX and UNMIK about the implementation of the UN Secretary General’s six item plan in the areas of police, judiciary, customs, cultural heritage protection, administrative borders and infrastructure.

The Serbian government’s website presents this interview.

What are Belgrade’s goals?

We want a Serbian police force in Serb community areas and a Serb representative as deputy in the international police. Concerning the judiciary, talks are going on these days with local judiciary representatives about ensuring that Serb judges and prosecutors are given an equal status in judicial processes and that they are able to work according to the UNMIK laws that were passed after 1999. It is absolutely unacceptable for us to work according to the laws of the so called “state of Kosovo”.

What is being implemented that Belgrade specifically insisted on?

Nothing at the moment and precisely because of this we are constantly appealing to UNMIK to hold talks about implementation as soon as possible, in order to have valid laws and a better security situation in Serb areas in northern Kosovo, where we have a legal vacuum right now.

There is an opinion that the implementation of the six item plan is effectively a first step towards the partition of Kosovo? No, the plan and its implementation concern the entire territory of Kosovo. Any form of partition is unacceptable and the government never discussed it. We want to preserve Kosovo within Serbia’s borders and we are not going to give up our territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Is there any talk of beginning status negotiations again and do you believe that that will happen?

Of course, our goal is to begin fresh negotiations because we think that the Kosovo status issue has not been resolved. We want a compromise that will satisfy both sides and not a situation where one side gets everything. A situation like this is frustrating for the Serbian community because they feel that the international community committed an injustice against Serbs and other non-Albanians.

EULEX is being deployed after a green signal by the UN. How are local Serbian institutions cooperating with the mission?

If EULEX manages to fulfill its duties and resolve current issues it can count on cooperation with Serbia and local Serb representatives in Kosovo.

Are you in touch with the International Civilian Office?

There is no cooperation and I don’t think there will be any in the foreseeable future because of the rhetoric coming from the head of that office, Peter Faith. As long as relations don’t change and it is unrecognized that there are other ethnic communities in Kosovo and that it is absolutely unacceptable for Serbia that this office carries out the Ahtisaari plan there will be no cooperation.

Who is responsible for the recent incidents in Kosovska Mitrovica?

I do not wish to and should not speculate on responsibility and this is why following the incidents I called on the relevant institutions to investigate matters and to punish those found responsible. It is precisely the type of events that recently took place in northern Mitrovica that make it clear that the international community must take responsibility in order to prevent the spread of rumours.