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Svetlana Smiljanić, member of the executive board of Wiener Städtische Insurance

Ready for Future Challenges

„It is advantageous to be part of a large family, especially one with such a long tradition, reputation and strength as VIG, which currently...

Bojana Perić, Ekostar Pak General Manager

Recycling is an Opportunity

In the 14 years since its founding, Ekostar Pak has gained the trust of more than 840 companies, with in excess of 798,000 tons...

Novomatic Serbia

Fusing Tradition and Innovation with a Future Vision

NOVOMATIC AG stands out as one of the leaders of the global gaming industry. Founded in 1980 by Professor Johann F. Graf in the...

Pinar Yalcinkaya, MPC Properties CEO

Driving Impact through Innovation and Service Excellence

At MPC Properties, we’ve concentrated on using strategic planning and innovation to maintain our position as industry leader in the commercial real estate sector,...

Miloš Škorić, Gorda Director

Gorda Unites and Connects

“For three decades, we have been working and creating something good – not just for the awards, but primarily for the emotion. We respect...

Dragiša Mijačić, Director Of The Institute For Territorial Economic Development (INTER) And Coordinator Of The Working Group Of The NCEU

A Solution Must Be Found At The Negotiating Table

Public support for some new agreement is low, whether that’s in Serbia or Kosovo. However, the alternative to this would prove ruinous for both Serbs and Albanians

Disturbing news about incidents with overtones of ethnicallymotivated violence against members of the Serbian community has long been coming from Kosovo. The number of incidents increased sharply with the arrival of Albin Kurti at the helm of the Government of Kosovo, with his administration making series of unilateral moves that violated the institutional mechanisms for the peaceful integration of Serbs in municipalities in the north of Kosovo that proved difficult to create in the first place. Moreover, the nationalist narratives of political leaders from Priština, but also from Belgrade, that are accompanied by sensationalist and provocative headlines in tabloids and obscure media outlets, only serve to further contribute to inter-ethnic intolerance in mixed communities across Kosovo.

Also challenging the preservation of peace is the construction of fortifications and the fortifying of the existing facilities of the special police forces of Kosovo in the Serb-dominated areas of northern municipalities. The presence of these forces contravenes the provisions of the Brussels Agreement, because their arrival was not approved by the mayors of the northern municipalities. Additionally, we have repeatedly heard public remarks about the arrogant conduct of members of the special forces towards the local population, which caused further unrest among citizens.

The most recent crisis in Kosovo once again showed unequivocally that there is no military or force-based solution to the security and political challenges, but rather a solution must be found at the negotiating table

The situation has been further complicated by the withdrawal from Kosovo’s institutions of Serbs based in the north – primarily from local governments, the police and the judiciary, which created security and institutional issues. Not long after abandoning these institutions, the local population blocked the main roads in the north of Kosovo, which has brought the situation to the brink of conflict. In response to these events, combat readiness has been raised in Serbia, and the atmosphere has been aggravated further by inappropriate media reports and heightened rhetoric from officials in both Belgrade and Priština. It seemed at one point that a conflict between local Serbs and special police forces was inevitable, and that it was only a matter of time until the Serbian army entered Kosovo.

Regardless of the dramatic situation in the north of Kosovo, security is ensured by the presence and activities of KFOR and EULEX, which have played a significant role in easing tensions at critical junctures. It is also important to note the zero tolerance of Western diplomacy towards any form of violence against members of international forces. Under such circumstances, the possibility of major conflicts erupting is reduced to a minimum, though the potential of conflict arising from various forms of provocation between special police forces and the local population have not been fully avoided.

The most recent crisis in Kosovo once again showed unequivocally that there is no military or force-based solution to the security and political challenges, but rather a solution must be found at the negotiating table. We are witnessing a significant degree of involvement among high-level diplomats of the most important countries of the West, who are trying to help officials in Belgrade and Priština find a solution to the historical problem between Serbia and Kosovo. Their efforts continue to be met with resistance against the reaching of agreement, primarily on the part of Albin Kurti, who built his political career on opposing any agreement with Serbia, but also among many political structures in Belgrade. Public support for some new agreement is low, whether that’s in Serbia or Kosovo. However, Western diplomats conveyed a clear message during their recent visits to Priština and Belgrade: that an agreement on the normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo must be signed. The alternative would be ruinous for both Serbs and Albanians. Upcoming events will show the degree of maturity and seriousness of the political elites in Belgrade and Priština to respond to the challenges in resolving this issue, which will determine whether the Serbian and Albanian people will move in the direction of a promising future or mutual conflicts.

By Mirko Dautović

Sailing Stormy Waters

The name of the next resident of the White House will matter a lot in terms of global politics. However, more importantly, the U.S....

Dr Jonel Subić, Ph.D., Director of the Institute of Agricultural Economics (IAE), Belgrade

Using Resources Intelligently

As is the case in many other areas, the greater participation of clean technologies and innovations, optimal use of resources and improving health conditions...

Danijela Božanić, meteorologist

We’re Lacking Plenty

Viewed globally, the state and availability of water resources is acknowledged as the sector hardest hit by climate change. The National Adaptation Programme (NAP)...

Dipl. Ecc. Vesna Nešković, International Relations Officer, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad

Reaching Optimal Solutions through Research

Our response is the ClimaPannonia project, which tests climate-resilience solutions in four sectors of agriculture and scales them across the Pannonian Plain for broader...

Office for IT and e-Government Introduces New eSeal Cloud Service

The Office for Information Technology and e-Government has introduced eSeal in the cloud, a new service that allows public...

Denmark Encourages Serbia on Its Path to EU Membership

The expansion of the European Union is one of the priorities for the coming period, stated Denmark's Minister for...

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala Opens Czech House in Belgrade

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala opened the Czech House in Belgrade during an official visit to Serbia, highlighting that...

Belgrade to Host Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence Summit in December

Belgrade will host the major Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) summit on December 3rd and 4th, where discussions...

Giaufret States it’s Time to Intensify Reforms in Serbia

Serbia has confirmed that EU membership is its strategic goal, said the Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia,...

Belgrade to Host Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence Summit in December

Belgrade will host the major Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) summit on December 3rd and 4th, where discussions...

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk: EU is not complete without Serbia

Poland supports Serbia’s European path, and the European Union is not complete without Serbia, stated Polish Prime Minister Donald...

Montenegro Bans Single-Use Plastics Under New Law

In accordance with the Waste Management Law, Montenegro has officially banned plastic bags and single-use plastics as of this...

Serbia Cuts Shadow Economy by Over a Quarter in a Decade, Driven by Digital Reforms

Over the past decade, Serbia has significantly reduced its shadow economy, lowering it from 29.1% to 21.1% of GDP,...

Claudia Sheinbaum Sworn In as Mexico’s First Female President

In a historic moment for Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum has been sworn in as the country's first female president, marking...

Belgrade to Host Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence Summit in December

Belgrade will host the major Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) summit on December 3rd and 4th, where discussions...

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk: EU is not complete without Serbia

Poland supports Serbia’s European path, and the European Union is not complete without Serbia, stated Polish Prime Minister Donald...

Montenegro Bans Single-Use Plastics Under New Law

In accordance with the Waste Management Law, Montenegro has officially banned plastic bags and single-use plastics as of this...

Serbia Cuts Shadow Economy by Over a Quarter in a Decade, Driven by Digital Reforms

Over the past decade, Serbia has significantly reduced its shadow economy, lowering it from 29.1% to 21.1% of GDP,...

Claudia Sheinbaum Sworn In as Mexico’s First Female President

In a historic moment for Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum has been sworn in as the country's first female president, marking...
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