Petkovic, Sorensen discuss difficult position of Kosovo-Metohija Serbs

BRUSSELS - The head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija Petar Petkovic, who is also Belgrade's chief technical-level negotiator in the dialogue with Pristina, met with the EU special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Peter Sorensen, in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss the course of the dialogue and the position of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija.

Petkovic pointed out to Sorensen that Kosovo-Metohija Serbs faced political and institutional pressure from Pristina almost on a daily basis, and warned that, before each elections, Albin Kurti resorted to unilateral, escalatory moves that were detrimental to the Serbs, the Office for Kosovo-Metohija said in a statement.

He said the numerous attacks and ethnically-motivated incidents targeting the Serbs were a direct result of Kurti's aggressive anti-Serb policy and a negative daily political narrative on anything that was Serbian.

"Kurti's circumvention of dialogue, be it caused by elections or not, shows clearly that the dialogue is stagnating, due to direct obstruction from Pristina," he said.

Petkovic said Belgrade was committed to normalisation of relations, and to solving all problems on the ground through dialogue, which he noted was the only way to find sustainable solutions.

"That is why it is important to start making concrete steps towards forming a Community of Serb Municipalities, which is a guarantee of the security and collective rights of the Serbs," Petkovic noted.

He said that, almost on a daily basis, Kosovo-Metohija Serbs faced politically motivated arrests and proceedings in which, amid a media and political campaign by Pristina, there was no respect for fundamental human rights.

The policy of Belgrade and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is a policy of preservation of peace and stability in the Western Balkans and safeguarding the rights of Kosovo-Metohija Serbs, Petkovic told Sorensen.

He added that Serbia would remain on that path in spite of efforts by Pristina, which he noted was resorting to unilateral moves and obstruction of dialogue.