Balkans | Demonstration against the “Ohrid Agreement” in Kosovo

Dozens of citizens and members of the Social Democratic Party of Kosovo protested in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, on the “verbal agreement” that was reached between Kosovo and Serbia in Ohrid, North Macedonia.

The demonstrators, who came out of the main square in Pristina to the front of the government building, demanded the establishment of the Federation of Municipalities of Serbia and raised slogans.

The demonstrators also carried pictures of Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Parliament Speaker Glauc Konjovka with long noses, “which indicates that they are liars like Pinocchio.”

PSD chief Dardan Mulikaj, one of the organizers of the demonstration, said the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia in Ohrid was a bad deal.

Stressing that Korti is trying to replace the Federation of Municipalities of Serbia in the name of “autonomy,” Mulicaj said, “No name can replace what happened to Kosovo. What happened to Kosovo is clear. Regional and ethnic autonomy for the Serb community in Kosovo. Likewise, the autonomous regions or Special extraterritorial character about Orthodox churches and monasteries. He said.

Instead of state flags, protesters hung “white flags” on the Government House, symbolizing the government’s surrender, and threw black smoke bombs “at a time when the perspective of Kosovo has been darkened by the Korti government”.

The parade, which lasted about an hour, ended without incident.

Relations between Serbia and Kosovo

Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic agreed on an agreement that would normalize relations between the two countries in negotiations that lasted nearly 12 hours in Ohrid, North Macedonia on March 18, with the mediation of the European Union. , but did not sign the text of the agreement.

The 11-point agreement that will normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which was made public, does not force Serbia to recognize Kosovo’s independence, but requires both countries to recognize each other’s official documents and symbols, including passports, diplomas and license plates. . Kosovo is required to establish a “Federation of Serb Municipalities” which will have self-government rights in settlements where most Serbs live in the country.

The agreement establishing the Federation of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo’s mostly Serb municipalities between Kosovo and Serbia was signed in 2013 with EU mediation, but has not been put into practice.

Although Kosovo is recognized as an independent country by 117 countries, it is described as one of Europe’s “frozen conflict zones” due to persistent ethnic tensions in its north and its inability to become a member of the United Nations.

Serbia considers Kosovo, which unilaterally declared its independence in 2008, to be its territory.

Serbia and Kosovo, which clash periodically, are trying to find a common way to normalize relations, and eventually the two countries get to know each other, within the scope of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue process initiated in 2011 with the mediation of the European Union.