The Kosovo-Serbia agreement in Ohrid, PSD protests against the establishment of the Association

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) has protested against the Agreement towards the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which the leaders of the two countries reached under the mediation of the European Union.

The head of this party, Dardan Molliqaj, said that this agreement represents "a bad page", as he accused the Government of Prime Minister Albin Kurti, that it surrendered to create the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority, which, according to him, will give autonomy of the Serbian community in Kosovo.

"No one in Kosovo believes that a political, parallel and ethnic entity should be created. Therefore, we believe that we must continue our efforts to stop the Government, which clearly surrendered to the need to maintain power", said Molliqaj, in the protest in front of the Kosovo Government building.

On February 27 in Brussels, Kosovo and Serbia agreed on the Agreement towards the normalization of relations between the states, or as it is otherwise known as the European proposal. On March 18, the parties agreed in Ohrid on the annex to the implementation of this agreement.

In the text of the agreement, Article 7 mentions the provision of an "appropriate level of self-management for the Serbian community in Kosovo", which according to Molliqaj means the establishment of the Association.

Even when he was in the opposition, Prime Minister Kurti opposed the establishment of the Association, which he called 'Zajednica', arguing that there is a risk that a Serbian Republic will be created in Kosovo, like in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

However, Kurti said that the word self-management cannot be equated with Association.

"Now that he has decided to establish the Association, he is no longer calling it 'Zajednica', nor the Association, but is pretending to call it self-management. There is no name that replaces what is happening to Kosovo. What is happening to Kosovo is clear: it is territorial, ethnic autonomy for the Serbian community in Kosovo. And also, special areas with an extraterritorial character around Orthodox churches and monasteries", Molliqaj said.

Në protestën e organizuar të shtunën nga PSD-ja, që nuk është parti e përfaqësuar në Kuvendin e Kosovës, morën pjesë dhjetëra persona. Protestuesit zëvendësuan flamujt e Kosovës, të vendosur te ndërtesa e Qeverisë, me flamuj të bardhë, për të simbolizuar “dorëzimin” me pranimin e Marrëveshjes së Ohrit.

Po ashtu, PDS lëshoi tym të zi drejt ndërtesës së Qeverisë, për të treguar, siç tha, “zymtësinë” që ka sjellë Qeveria Kurti.

Kosova dhe Serbia, në kuadër të dialogut të Brukselit kanë arritur dy marrëveshjes për Asociacionin, më 2013 dhe 2015. Megjithatë, më 2015 Gjykata Kushtetuese tha se marrëveshja duhet të harmonizohet, pasi disa pika të saj nuk janë në harmoni me aktin më të lartë juridik të shtetit.

Kosova dhe Serbia më 18 mars, në Ohër të Maqedonisë së Veriut arritën pajtim për Aneksin e zbatimit të Marrëveshjes drejt normalizimit.

The parties did not sign the agreement, but the EU and the United States have said that despite not being signed, it is a binding agreement for the parties.

The agreement, of 11 articles, does not specifically mention mutual recognition. However, the document requires both countries to accept each other's documents and symbols, including: passports, diplomas and license plates.

The document also requires the parties to implement all the agreements reached so far in the dialogue for the normalization of relations, including the one for the formation of the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority in Kosovo, which the Government in Pristina has rejected until now, on the grounds that it may jeopardize the functionality of the state./ REL