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Ivanovic: ‘Short Cuts Don’t Work in the Balkans’

By Olivera Bernardoni Stojanovic

03 10 2008  Oliver Ivanovic, State Secretary for Kosovo, warns Olivera Bernardoni Stojanovic not to expect quick fix to policing row - and insists new government will clear up budget for Kosovo.

Q: How did the latest talks with UNMIK chief Lambert Zanier go?

A: UNMIK has underlined two issues initiated two months ago - judiciary and police, and we attempted to wrap them up. Serbs need physical and legal security, which is only possible if we have a police that Serbs can trust. That is possible only if Serbs participate in the police. However, we cannot participate in the police the way we could before February 17, 2008. Kosovo’s unilateral proclamation of independence prevents us from simply joining these institutions, which is why UNMIK needs to stand between us and Kosovo’s institutions as a body we directly answer to. UNMIK is necessary to us, so we are asking for a direct link solely to UNMIK, and not to be linked with any Kosovo institutions directly.

Q: Is UNMIK agreeable to that?

A: If I knew the answer to that, the negotiations would be over that minute, positively or negatively. It is not a simple matter. It is not easy for UNMIK, because previously UNMIK transferred a part of its authorities [to the Kosovo government], so this would mean returning to a previous state. That is always a difficult thing, and in our case more difficult because of the traditional distrust between Serbs and Albanians, and between Serbs and international institutions. In a situation of general distrust, it is difficult to find a solution that would make everyone happy, though not impossible.
 
Q: Who will take care of the Serbs' security while these negotiations last?

A: This is not something to be resolved in three weeks. It is a long-term problem and at this point we don’t have Serbs in the Kosovo police force, or only a very small number, and their status is not resolved. Right now Serbs are guarded by the very policemen who stepped out of the Kosovo Police Service and whose status is unresolved. We cannot keep their status that way, it has to be resolved in some way, through negotiation, which is why everyone has to show patience while we find a solution that we will have to agree on with UNMIK. But we are fully aware that UNMIK would then have to agree on that solution with the Kosovo Albanians and their institutions.
 
Q: What are the possibilities of cooperation with EULEX?

A: We do not see that possibility right now because we see EULEX as an illegal mission, a mission that is not backed by the UN Security Council. In principle, we are not against an international mission if it comes on the orders of the Security Council and Secretary General. But the Europeans did not try hard enough to find the solution, trying to resolve it through a short cut.  In the Balkans you can never have a solution through a short cut.
 
Q: In the past Serbs were urged to boycott UNMIK and today Serbs are urged to cooperate with UNMIK and boycott EULEX. Isn’t this confusing?

A: Termination of cooperation with UNMIK was never instructed. It would simply not be right for me to see the decisions of the previous government as such. I did not agree with many decisions they made, but they never made that decision.
 
Q: There has been discussion of a new UN Resolution on Kosovo. What would it concretely mean for Kosovo Serbs?

A: That resolution has only to confirm that this [Belgrade] government won't give up its defence of Kosovo…that Serbia won't give up that fight and will attempt to preserve Kosovo as a part of Serbia in the best possible way, by diplomatic means and every other means, except military means and violence.
 
Q: The previous Serbian government has been criticised for not being transparent over the budget for Kosovo. Will this government be better?

A: They will most certainly be more transparent, especially because we have promised to make it clear who spent what. All ministries will be investigated, spending will be checked, and we will then have a clearer picture by the end of the year. We intend to use the resources we have in a much more transparent way.
 
Q: What does that exactly mean?

A: We will go about our work much more publicly and in a more
regular fashion. It means respect for regular procedures, making ourselves available to all relevant factors, and acquainting everyone with final decisions. We will demand active participation of all the participants in the chain, beginning with local authorities through state institutions.
 
Olivera Bernardoni Stojanovic is a Balkan Insight contributor. Balkan Insight is BIRN's online publication.

This article was published with the support of the National Endowment for Democracy - NED, as part of BIRN's Minority Media Training and Reporting Project.