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"It’s only logical that Sonja Biserko, Sava Janjić and Rada
Trajković have taken the same side. There is no difference between
them; but people who have pretended to be staunchest nationalists
have also aligned themselves with them, and their policy is exactly
the same: that in Kosovo and Metohija we have nothing, all we have
is just in our folk stories and fairy tales.”
This is what President of Serbia Alexander Vučić told the latest
meeting of the Main Committee of his Serbian Progressive Party.
Unlike the said “staunchest nationalists” the three persons in
question, well-known for arguing against Kosovo’s partition, were
called on the carpet as enemies of the nation and Serbia.
“This is nothing new to me,” Sonja Biserko, the chairwoman of the
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, tells the Vreme
weekly. “The Helsinki Committee and I have in the public eye when it
comes to the Kosovo issue, we’ve been present in both communities
all the time and our views about the situation over there are
well-known. We have always been targets of the hate speech or
criticism because of our consistent stances differing from many
others I would say.”
"VREME": What I am actually asking you is how come that Vučić put
you in the same basket with Archimandrite Sava Janjić and Rada
Trajković?
SONJA BISERKO: Sava Janjić has expressed the Serbian Orthodox
Church’s stance against partition while Rada Trajković also openly
argued against the idea. By the way, she is the one who perfectly
articulates sentiments of the Serbian population in Kosovo,
especially those living south of the Ibar River. And everything she
said in public – especially about the murder of Oliver Ivanović and
“inner” dialogue – mirrors the views by the majority of the Serbs in
South Kosovo, but also in other parts. And so, when the plan for
Kosovo’s partition failed someone to be blamed for it had to be
found. As it turned out, the three of us were detected as such, but
institutions too – notably the Helsinki Committee – holding
different views about the issue than the regime. And the more so, I
would say, because we are all somewhat publicly recognizable.
Are you disturbed by all this?
Listen, I’ve been active in the same way in this community for too
long, and along with the Helsinki Committee I’ve been for too long
target of assaults. That’s why, to put it so, I’ve become immune to
all such threats. They make no sense since no one trusts anyone over
here, and that’s how it is in the entire region. I would say neither
Vučić believes in what he says himself.
And yet, what he said at the meeting of his Main Committee stands
for a kind of threat. However, after everything I’ve gone through –
and under all the regimes we had – I cannot say for sure how serious
this threat is. I can sense it no more.
And do you sense the reasons why the President of Serbia needs a
rhetoric as such and has to call actual people on the carpet?
I would say Vučić has taken aim at everyone who thinks critically or
differently from him. And when it comes to partition Rada Trajković,
Sava Janjić i ja took the same stance against it, regardless of what
each of us considers a final solution. This regime is sparing no
one. For six years it has been smashing everything that used to be
at our social scene: the opposition that is itself much to blame for
it, a big part of the civil sector that has accomplished much for
the society after 2000, independent regulatory bodies, the
parliament that is now turned into a pointless circus…All in all, it
can be said that we are having now a one-party system of a worse
kind than at the time of Yugoslavia; then we had more of pluralism,
more criticism and more of everything than we have today. In this
context, naming Rada Trajković, Sava Janjić and me at the Main
Committee is nothing but a policy of continuity that puts across the
message that no one could feel safe. Constant stigmatization in
Vučić’s rhetoric that is being reiterated by tabloids and certain
broadcasters is meant to make senseless and pull the plug on any
dialogue about Serbia and a course it is taking. Every possible
channel of dialogue has been closed up, and that’s the problem
plaguing the entire region. Instead of making progress everyone in
the region undergoes regression of a sort, and just because they
have all undervalued Second Yugoslavia and snuffed out everything it
accomplished for modernization and emancipation of people. It can be
said that now we in a process of regression with nationalism as the
one and only ideology.
Let’s stay a bit at the said rhetoric. Why should you be
apostrophized? The Helsinki Committee is not a political party…
Actually, just a part of non-governmental organizations stands today
for the opposition to Vučić’s policy. These organization articulated
their opposition to Kosovo’s partition in a letter to EU High
Representative for Foreign Policy Federica Mogerini, signed together
with Kosovo-based non-governmental organizations. The letter found
an echo abroad and was often quoted this summer. See, if the
initiative for partition emerged so suddenly it must have been
“simmering” for at least two years. In fact, Belgrade has searched a
partner in Tirana a finally found him in the person of Albanian
Premier Edi Rama. Two years ago, when Rama was in Niš they started
with arrangements to which Washington and London said no at the
time. Later on, however, the idea of partition was endorsed by some
outstanding figures in the West such as Wolfgang Petrich who works
for a law firm representing our government, Toni Blair, US
ex-ambassador to Belgrade Kameron Manter, Alex Soros, but also Ivan
Vejvoda, Jelena Milić, Ivan Krastev and others. With their names
they attracted the attention to the partition project. Now this sums
up no more as an arrangement between Tachi and Vučić, or Vučić and
Rama, but has acquired a new, international dimension. Namely, until
recently no one from abroad had seconded the plan.
What has changed in the meantime?
The partition plan was born in Belgrade – it has always been in
circulation, either on the counter or under it. Everything about it
has been dependent on international circumstances. And now, when the
world in in turmoil once again, faced with all imaginable challenges
and uncertainties, the Serbian political elite takes that such
turbulence is good for its plans. Just remind yourself of the
billboard “Trump, Serb!” posted after the election of the incumbent
American President. So, what is it the Americans are after? They are
after closing up as many open questions as possible so that they
could get focused on China. And yet, not a single American official
stated he or she stood for Kosovo’s partition. What they are
actually saying is “You make a deal, and then let us see about it.”
Obviously, the problem can also not be solved without Germany. And
Vučić himself admits openly that Chancellor Merkel opposes
partition, but adds that he will be trying to get something – we all
are familiar with the way he speaks. All in all, the partition idea
is a calculation that rests on uncertainties of today’s world. The
fact that nothing has moved forward yet, means not that it will not
get on its way. True, the above-mentioned Wolfgang Petrich speaks
just about borders shifting a couple of kilometers, but, mind, he
was most active in the matter of Kosovo and I am sure he is quite
aware of regional consequences arising from such “border shifting.”
What exactly are you aiming at?
The partition story has disturbed the entire region, Kosovo
Albanians and Serbs most of all. I would say the Brussels Agreement
produced some favorable results at the start – bilateral relations
were relaxed, Kosovo IDs were recognized, it encouraged mutual trust
between the two communities and so on. And now the Serbs living
south of the Ibar River have found themselves in a completely
undefined situation. I must tell you that during my stay in
Gračanica I learned that many have put their houses on sale, they
are troubled by all those uncertainties, worried about their
children’s future…The “Serbian List” Belgrade’s manipulation has
entrenched as Serbian major political force in Kosovo is doing
nothing at all for their interests despite its considerable
influence on Kosovo’s parliament.
Let’s discuss some more Blair, Petrich and others who, as you put
it, sided with the idea about Kosovo’s partition. How come it was
them?
We all remember how many international figures have circulated in
Belgrade once; and so, we learned that Blair is now providing
counsel to the Serbian government. The East-West Institute is most
interesting in this context: it came up with the need for
flexibility in the matter of Kosovo; and then Alex Soros went on
shuttle diplomacy mission between Vučić, Tachi and Rama…And still,
as far as I can tell, such activity is stalled at the moment, which
does not exclude its revival. See, Vučić refused to go to Brussels
and delegated Premier Ana Brnabić to the UN in New York: this
indicates that he would rather be not faced with having to answer
questions about partition at this moment. I would call such policy
of his autistic and incapable of reflecting the actual situation of
the country, the region and beyond it.
And what is Vučić’s situation against such backdrop – Serbia’s and
the international community’s?
Vučić had a chance no Serbian politician has had since 2000; no one,
except for him, has enjoyed such strong support for settling crucial
problems, including the one of Kosovo. He was the first who had the
opportunity to break up Serbia’s vicious circle. As it seems,
however, he has no courage enough to make it, despite all the
support he had from the international community, mostly Germany and
United States. Much hope was pinned on him when the Brussels
Arrangement was signed, but everything is at standstill now.
And what about Hashim Tachi’s position in the same context?
When it comes to partition Tachi is faced with strong opposition
even in his own party. And then, Americans can make him do whatever
they want and whenever they want to. That’s why it is uncertain how
he will position himself. I would say he has rather pulled back at
the moment.
What do you think about negotiations between Vučić and Tachi under
the auspices of the EU?
Brussels negotiations have been actually non-existent for the past
two years, ever since this channel trough which partition is
discussed under-the-table was opened. This was more than evident
this summer when Vejvoda, the East-West Institute and Jelena Milić
came up with their reports, frequent visits by Alex Soros and the
like. No one knows what it is Vučić and Tachi are talking about.
Mogerini joined in too, ambitious as she is. Anyway, looking just at
this dialogue on Kosovo one is simply stunned with how many
incompetent and immoral people disinterested in national and social
interest but minding their own are involved in it. Those political
elites’ irresponsibility and immaturity are overwhelming.
Vučić has appealed for dialogue and negotiations on several
occasions, including his speech in Kosovska Mitrovica…
I would say that in that speech of his a wrong focused was placed on
Slobodan Milošević, in the country and abroad alike. For, what Vučić
actually said was that we had lost a war and that someone would have
to recognize the fact once in the future. True, he distanced himself
from the responsibility (for the war), trying to excuse himself with
his confused address – and this was what I saw as the most important
message put through. Of course, we have to take the Russian factor
into account in this matter: Moscow does not expose itself too much,
but what suits it best is a frozen conflict through which it can act
destructively throughout the region. Besides, one cannot but wonder
how possibly can one speak about dialogue and negotiations leading
towards normalization when Albanians have been so grossly demonized
– not as of today or yesterday, but for very long time. What is
crucial in this context are the rhetoric by politicians and the
media sphere that should advocate relaxation of relations and
restored trust. How possibly can one put trust in their good
intentions when these crucial things are nowhere to see?
In brief, how do you see resolution of the Kosovo
problem?
In a nutshell: Serbia should recognize Kosovo’s
independence. There is no other solution. Everything else is just
time-wasting. Since 2000 much has been invested in the region’s
European option and membership of NATO, and all the investment
rested on the existing borders. Every shift of borders would equal
decomposition of Europe.
Filip Švarm
Appreciation of straightforwardness
You’ve met Vučić once. What about that
dialogue with him you had?
I was in a group of people from the civil
sector invited to a meeting with Vučić when he came to power. I
thought to myself I should respond to his invitation given that, if
nothing else, that was an opportunity to have my say. I told him
what my views were – actually presented the views from our annual
reports – and said it in my usual manner of speaking in public.
Rather than about the Helsinki Committee, I was more concentrated on
the situation in Serbia, Kosovo and on many other open questions. He
thanked me for being straightforward.
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