Albanians in Kosovo protest EU proposal to establish Union of Serb Municipalities

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Dozens of Kosovo Albanians protested Tuesday against Prime Minister Albin Kurti's plan to establish the Union of Serbian Municipalities.

The European Union's proposal for the normalization of the relations between Kosovo and Serbia that leads to the formation of the Union of Serbian Municipalities was protested in front of the Prime Minister's Office in the capital, Pristina.

One demonstrator, Fazli Haziri, said the move could be the starting point for the division of Kosovo.

"Bosnia and Herzegovina is the best example. It started with four municipalities there, and we know the situation there today, it has become a dysfunctional country. Kosovo has become a dysfunctional country. It is too small to divide, so we oppose it. We inform the international community that we will never accept unity on an ethnic basis,'' said Haziri.

Protesters held banners that read: "On behalf of the Albanian people against the Union of Serbian Municipalities" and chanted slogans at Kurti and to stop any deal that would allow the establishment of the Unions.

Zenel Hulaj said he participated to protect the state of Kosovo.

"I did not have the opportunity to come to the Kosovo war, but this is a kind of war. It is a war against Serbia, which fooled some rookies before. Now, I came here to fight, we must fight to prevent the establishment of the Union of Serbian Municipalities in Kosovo because then the Serbian army and Serbian police will come here and they will even print passports here in our country,'' said Hulaj.

The agreement to establish the Union of Serbian Municipalities in municipalities where most Serbs live in Kosovo was signed between Kosovo and Serbia in 2013 under the mediation of the EU but the deal could not be put into practice.

- Kosovo-Serbia dialogue process

The EU requires Kosovo and Serbia to reach a final agreement that can resolve issues between the two countries for progress in the integration process.

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, with most UN member states including the US, the UK, France, Germany and Türkiye recognizing it as a separate autonomous country from its neighbor. But Belgrade continues to regard it as its territory.

Lately, the parties have been negotiating what is popularly known as the Franco-German proposal, supported by the US and all EU members.

Serbian President Aleksander Vucic said in October that Germany and France offered to expedite Serbia’s EU membership process if it recognized Kosovo’s independence and allow it to become a member of international organizations.

According to the proposal, which was leaked to the media, Kosovo should allow the establishment of the Union of Serbian Municipalities in the north where Serbs mostly live.

EU officials hope negotiations on the plan will be completed in the spring.

Brussels has facilitated the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue.