In an interview with TV station Pink last week, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić declared that he is ready to start a broad debate on the unsolved issues between Kosovo and Albania. President Vučić underlined that only a “compromise between the parties” would solve the majority of the political problems of an would open the way to EU membership.
If we create an axis of peace and stability from the north to the south of the Western Balkans, between its two largest peoples, Serbians and Albanians, we will have solved 80% of our political problems for the next 100 years.
President Vučić said that he is ready to start this process, despite the challenges this might pose to his political career in Serbia, where the majority of the population still opposes the independence of Kosovo.
I know that whatever compromise you make, Serbia won’t forgive you. I know the personal and political consequences for those who take part in such compromises.
In recent weeks, the Serbian President as well as other politicians have expressed their desire to progress toward EU membership. A solution to the conflict with Kosovo is one of the conditions set by the European Commission.
A broadly accepted compromise, President Vučić stated, would open the possibility of a closer collaboration with Albania:
It is important that we have good relation with the Albanians and that we solve our problems once and for all, instead of keeping them frozen.
If Kosovo were to be officially recognized, Serbia would need to implement constitutional changes. The current constitution explicitly states that Kosovo is part of Serbia. These changes would need a 2/3 majority in the Serbian Parliament of 250 votes. Vučić’s party currently has 131 mandates.
If we do not have the power to change the Constitution, and at this moment it seems we don’t have it, then tour road toward Europe will end.
President Vučić’s initiative seems to be attempt to measure the Serbian pulse on the Kosovo issue and challenge the opposition parties to come up with their own propositions or positions. The details of the platform that the Serbian president is building to discuss the issue nationwide will be revealed in the coming weeks.
