SERBSKA REPUBLIC IN NORTHERN KOSOVO?

Platform to seek "some kind of entity" in north

Source: Večernje novosti

BELGRADE -- At the heart of the new platform on Kosovo and Metohija which will soon be presented by President Nikolić is the status of northern Kosovo.

(Tanjug)

It will call for "some kind of entity", the daily Večernje Novosti writes.
This national document, which could substantially affect the fate of Kosovo and Metohija, has been "certified with the full support of leaders of the ruling parties", who late on Sunday met in Belgrade's Villa Bokeljka, writes the paper.

According to this, what is now left is for parliament caucuses, Serbs from Kosovo, and, finally, the Serbia parliament, to express their position on the platform.

According to unofficial information obtained by this newspaper, Serbia should "fight for as broad formal and status rights of the compatriots in Kosovo". The idea is to get the broadest possible and substantial autonomy for northern parts of Kosovo, and for it to be "some kind of entity, such as, for example, the Serb Republic (RS)".

In practice, there would no longer be institutions of Serbia, but of this "Serb autonomy", according to the article. This proposal will be a subject of discussion with the international community.

However, the platform will also refer to the Constitution of Serbia, because Belgrade will under no circumstances recognize Kosovo as a state, writes the daily.

"This approach defends the main goal - to make the daily life of our people as easy as possible, and for them to, at the same time, not be strictly tied to the institutions in Priština," says the article.

Meanwhile, President Tomislav Nikolić met on Monday with ambassadors of the Russian Federation, China and Britain, to inform them about the progress in building a state strategy for Kosovo.

Prime Minister Ivica Dačić confirmed for Večernje Novosti that the head of state will this week present the platform to the opposition.

President of the Parliamentary Committee on Kosovo and Metohija Milovan Drecun said he expected the document to find its way quickly to parliament.

"No need to hurry, we need to think through and harmonize our positions, it may be two, three or ten days. We should avoid having contradictions in the text."

Opposition DS MP Borislav Stefanović believes that "nothing spectacular" should be expected from the platform:

"The government does not have a clear position, or any plan to address the issue. The public has been placed in a situation of 'waiting for Godot'. When the document has been published, we will examine it, and we will then decide on our possible support."

Opposition DSS deputy leader Slobodan Samardžić told the daily that the platform was "too late to change anything for the better, because the government has a policy modeled on the previous one".

"Serbia is far too deep in giving in to Kosovo Albanians and in submitting to intensive requirements of the EU to do so."

Opposition LDP MP Bojan Đurić said that the document was not yet published ""because of the need of the authorities and Nikolić to retain the image of national fighters, and even out a situation in which officials of the ruling coalition negotiate with Hashim Thaci, reaching agreements".

The National Assembly confirmed the news that there would be no technical obstacles for the vote on the platform to take place by the end of the year.

If the text arrives in parliament, it is likely that the session which began on Saturday will be suspended, and a new one started in order for MPs to declare themselves on the strategy for Kosovo.

And although government leaders publicly summarize the Sunday meeting as having achieved "absolute unity", according to reports, the debate was at times "very heated".

According to this, Aleksandar Vučić at one point "clearly indicated" to his partners the possibility of early elections "in case there are obstructions in the path of continuing the fight against corruption, especially in connection with the case of Miroslav Mišković".

New Serbia leader Velimir Ilić confirmed that the discussion was intense, but said that "maximum unity" had been achieved.