Vladisavljević: Priština's attempt to take over Gazivode

It was at a stroke that during the negotiations in Brussels Priština tried to take over from the Serbs the entire electricity distribution system in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, including Gazivode and the Valač substation, stated today Dragan Vladisavljević, Director of the Office for Coordination Affairs in the Negotiation Process with the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Priština.

Vladisavljević said that Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić and the Serbian delegation maintained this was non-negotiable and the interests of the Serbs in the north of Kosovo and Metohija and Serbia's interests had to be protected.

"In the negotiations on energy, Priština attempted to go beyond the technical portion of the discussions and broach the issue of property in order to take over the ownership of Gazivode, the Valač substation and the entire distribution system in the north of Kosovo from Serbs at a stroke," Vladisavljević, a participant in the Brussels discussions, stated for B92.

Asked about the standpoint of the EU, Vladisavljević replied that the EU representatives were trying to find a compromise between the two sides and devise solutions equally acceptable or equally unsatisfactory to both sides.

"I believe our delegation will do its best to reach certain solutions in the situation when the stakes are high on both sides and this applies equally to the issues of telecommunications, energy and, most importantly, the Community of Serbian Municipalities," Vladisavljević stressed.

According to him, the atmosphere during the negotiations was assuredly tense and grave given the great expectations from the discussions.

Vladisavljević underlined that the Serbian delegation headed by Prime Minister Vučić was putting a lot of effort to achieve certain results, bring the positions closer and make progress in the negotiations.

"The Community of Serbian Municipalities is definitely the most crucial topic. Key issues pertain to the first two segments – one is the legal framework and the other is the competences of the Community. The Prime Minister is striving to devise some solutions to reach a compromise and create pre-conditions for the adoption of principles essential for the establishment of the Community," Vladisavljević explained.

Significant progress on vehicle insurance

The most significant progress in the Brussels dialogue on the normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Priština has been made with regard to motor vehicle insurance fees, Vladisavljević said, adding that the memorandum to regulate the issue was expected to be signed tonight.

The discussions on all other issues are "tense", he told the press.

"Both sides' expectations to bring the positions closer and to reach solutions to key topics are high. For the Serbian side, this is the issue of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, followed by the issues of telecommunications and energy, and tonight we expect that the memorandum of understanding on vehicle insurance will be signed," Vladisavljević elaborated.

He added it was possible to reconcile the differences in the dialogue, emphasising that it would be difficult to resolve the key issues pertaining to the Community of Serbian Municipalities – the legal framework within which the Community is to be established and its competence.

"Our Prime Minister holds that the issue must be resolved so as to ensure genuine functionality and efficiency of the Community, which must be able to protect the interests of the Serbs living in Kosovo and Metohija," Vladisavljević said.

He assessed that the issues of energy and telecommunications were also complex, since attempts were made to resolve the issue of property, which was currently not on the table.

"We believe this should be postponed until the negotiations on property, whereas now we are to resolve the actual issues of telecommunications and energy," Vladisavljević concluded.