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This document highlights the main challenges and issues faced by
Albanian youth in Serbia and Serbian youth in Kosovo, along with
recommendations to improve the position of youth belonging to
minority communities. It is based on discussions among young people
from both communities who gathered in Belgrade in May to discuss the
challenges they face in their daily lives, influenced by the
relations between Belgrade and Pristina.
The discussion was part of the project "Echo of Unity: Amplifying
Youth Voices," aimed at fostering dialogue between Serbian and
Albanian youth. The project was implemented by the Helsinki
Committee for Human Rights in Serbia and the organization "Research"
from Kosovo, within the program of the Center for Regionalism and
KHCS Mother Teresa "Further Development of Civic Dialogue between
Serbia and Kosovo," supported by the European Union.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Despite numerous obstacles and political tensions, young people show
a great interest in cooperation. They emphasize the importance of
good practices and believe that intercultural societies have
potential. To achieve this, it is necessary to increase the
visibility of such practices and more strongly advocate for values
that promote the development of equal societies.
Key issues that hinder the integration of minority communities in
Serbia and Kosovo, and worsen the situation for youth, include
language barriers, limited access to education and jobs, security
tensions, restricted freedom of movement, discrimination, and hate
speech. In southern Serbia, the issue of passive registration of the
addresses of Albanian citizens persists, preventing them from
exercising many civil rights.
Civil society initiatives that encourage cooperation among youth are
essential for building identities that integrate diverse aspects and
contribute to creating equal, cohesive, and democratic societies.
Young people want to lead and participate in such initiatives. In
this sense, support for local civil society organizations is
crucial.
The fight against hate speech should include new narratives from
politicians that do not propagate divisions among people.
Improving the quality of education and access to educational systems
requires establishing and strengthening cooperation between schools
and civil society organizations to promote youth civic engagement.
It is necessary to hire more bilingual teachers in primary and
secondary schools.
Examples of Good Practices
Anđelija (Kosovo):"I'm happy because I have Albanian friends, I'm
happy that we cooperate, and I truly believe that we can live in
peace. I want to focus on the good things in our municipalities. In
Zubin Potok, we have potential for cooperation."
Aulona (Serbia):"I currently work as a teacher in an elementary
school, working with both Serbs and Albanians, and we really don't
have any problems."
Alutrim (Kosovo): "NGOs are key to establishing cooperation. We must
be aware that through such meetings, we can bring about change."
Anđelija (Kosovo): "As a community facilitator in the organization I
work for, I was tasked with visiting schools to explain the programs
we offer and invite young people. However, schools are not
interested in working with the NGO sector, and that needs to change;
they need to be more open to cooperation."
Main Challenges
Language Knowledge and Usage
Young people agree that knowledge of the Albanian and Serbian
languages is essential for communication and the development of
interethnic relations, as well as for working in institutions,
especially in the education system. It is necessary to include in
the educational system the training and employment of teachers who
know both Serbian and Albanian, along with mandatory training for
school staff to work with minority populations, to motivate children
to learn the language of the majority community and thereby ensure a
better future.
Erlind (Serbia): "I've always wanted to study medicine in Belgrade,
but the lack of Serbian language knowledge prevented me, so I
decided to study in Pristina instead."
Bukurije (Serbia): "Young people from Preševo and Bujanovac cannot
study in Serbia because they don't know Serbian. They are not
motivated to learn the language."
Employment and Diploma Recognition
An increasing number of young people are leaving Kosovo and Serbia
due to limited employment opportunities. Young people from
municipalities in southern Serbia primarily choose to study in
Kosovo, but their diplomas are not recognized in Serbia. Kosovo and
Serbia reached an agreement on mutual recognition of university
diplomas back in 2011 as part of the dialogue on normalizing
relations, but it was only implemented in Serbia until 2014. Mutual
diploma recognition is also mentioned in the European Union's plan
(Brussels or Ohrid Agreement) for the normalization of relations,
which Kosovo and Serbia have accepted in principle, and a roadmap
for its implementation is expected to follow.
"Problemi Albanaca U Srbiji i Srba na Kosovu: Nostrifikacija diploma
i bezbednost", 7. mart 2023.
Fearing for their future and professional development, youth from
both Serbia and Kosovo are increasingly looking for opportunities
abroad.
Aulona (Serbia): "I've been rejected multiple times during job
interviews in my profession, specifically in the police force, which
forced me to take another job that didn't fulfill me."
Erlind (Serbia):"The procedures for obtaining documents are
exhausting. Serbs in northern Kosovo are not afraid of Albanians but
are wary of the political games being played there. We in southern
Serbia as a minority have similar problems as the Serbs in northern
Kosovo. I am personally considering leaving Serbia to continue my
specialization abroad."
Egzona (Serbia) "I worked in the theater in Preševo as an actress.
The Ministry of Culture doesn't recognize the theater in Preševo.
The Serbian government doesn't even recognize our diplomas, but
despite that, we are trying to work."
Bukurije (Serbia):"There is no cooperation with the Youth Office,
the children have no cultural events, the municipality allocates
only 50,000 dinars, and with that, nothing can be done, no
activity."
Security and Freedom of Movement
Security and freedom of movement dominated the conversation, with
calls to reduce the excessive presence of security forces (police
and military). During periods of tension caused by poor relations
between Serbia and Kosovo, citizens feel scared and unsure of whom
to trust. They feel unsafe and unprotected, which can lead to trauma
among young people and further isolation in their communities.
Katarina (Kosovo): "Kosovo police stop us on the streets, and there
are many disagreements. Sometimes I get catcalled on my way home
from work, but there haven't been any bigger problems."
Erlind (Serbia): "I was horrified and scared when the Banjska
incident happened (the attack by an armed group led by Milan
Radoičić in the village of Banjska in the Zvečan municipality on
Kosovo, where a Kosovo police officer was killed, and three
attackers were killed)."
Egzona (Serbia):"Since Kosovo declared independence, everything that
happens between the two countries causes panic in society,
especially in southern Serbia. When the vote for Kosovo's entry into
the Council of Europe took place, tensions rose in the community,
and controls at border crossings increased, which unsettles
citizens."
Jovana (Kosovo):"There were mass arrests; when we ask what's
happening, no one knows. We're constantly afraid that a family
member will be arrested."
Marija (Kosovo): "Sometimes we hear sirens, but we've somehow gotten
used to it. It's not good that we've gotten used to it because that
way, we normalize it."
Media
Young people believe that the media spreads false narratives,
disinformation, hate speech, and fear. They expect the media to be
responsible and professional and to stop propaganda, which
negatively affects young people, amplifying their fears.
Aulona (Serbia):"The passive registration of the addresses of
Albanians in southern Serbia, which is little known to the public,
is a clear example of an issue the media barely reports on. If the
media doesn't adequately cover this issue, it will remain
unresolved."
Free Psychological Support for Youth
Parents who were exposed to war traumas in the 1990s pass those
traumas on to their children, making it difficult for them to see
reality, face problems, and integrate into society later in life.
These experiences often lead to prejudice and stereotypes, so
psychological support is essential for successful adaptation and
emotional well-being.
Egzona (Serbia):"Children have traumas they have no one to talk to
about. The traumas are linked to both the past and the present."
Discrimination and Hate Speech
Citizens in southern Serbia and Serbian-populated areas in Kosovo
are often exposed to discrimination and hate speech. Pejorative
terms and offensive labels used by one group against another can
lead to serious conflicts, including physical altercations, which is
unacceptable for any society.
Katarina (Kosovo): "Sometimes I get catcalled on my way to school,
but there haven't been any bigger problems."
This document by the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia
was created as part of the program "Further Development of Civil
Dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo," implemented by the Center for
Regionalism and Mother Teresa from Pristina, with the financial
support of the European Union. The content of this document is the
sole responsibility of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in
Serbia.
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