"Separatism in Kosovo enters new, dangerous phase"

on B92.net

Marko Djuric says it is "impermissible" for Edita Tahiri's report on Brussels agreement implementation to be included in the Chapter 35 negotiating framework.

Tahiri is a minister in the Kosovo government, in charge of the ongoing Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, while the chapter in question, a part of Serbia's EU accession negotiations, relates to Kosovo.

"When I took the negotiating framework for (chapter) 35, I saw that she unfortunately told the truth. This is disgraceful," Djuric, who heads the Serbian Government's Office for Kosovo, told a meeting of the Serbian National Assembly's Committee on Kosovo, held in Belgrade on Monday. 

Djuric also said that his message "to representatives of the international community" was that Serbia had its negotiator in the EU accession talks, "and that is Minister for European Integration of Serbia Jadranka Joksimovic, not Edita Tahiri." 

Djuric stated that separatism in Kosovo has entered "a new, dangerous phase" characterized by "hijacking, plundering, seizure of property, and an attempt to find a solution to property issues ahead of negotiations in Brussels." 

The Pristina authorities, according to him, are trying to bring the process of the seizure of Serb property to a full circle, "while the international community remains silent." 

Djuric also told the committee that the Serbian government was "clearly dedicated to solving everything" peacefully, through dialogue - but in these last weeks, it has become increasingly clear that Pristina and representatives of the international community are trying to use the (Kosovo) dialogue not to normalize relations, but as a platform to impose the position about the independence of Kosovo." 

"You will never force Serbia to accept the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo," was Djuric's message. 

The committee's session, dedicated to the current situation and the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, continues at the Serbian National Assembly.