“Delegate of the Serb Club in the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Snežana Novaković Bursać, emphasized at the Political Committee session of the Council of Europe that support for the request of self-proclaimed Kosovo to join the Council of Europe would be another proof that part of the international community is implementing political initiatives in the Western Balkans that are not based on international law and do not send good messages for stability and peace.
Bursać pointed out that placing Republika Srpska in a negative context concerning the situation in northern Kosovo and Metohija, especially regarding the Community of Serb Municipalities, is malicious and inaccurate.
She stated that Republika Srpska, one of the two entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina recognized in line with the Dayton Agreement, is formally and substantively advocating for the complete implementation of that international agreement.
“Never forget that the Dayton Peace Agreement was accepted and signed by all sides in the region and abroad, bringing peace and stability to our country and the region. There is no attempt at secession on the ground in BiH; instead, there are strong political and legal activities aimed at the full application of the rule of law and respect for democratic principles led by officially elected representatives of Republika Srpska,” said Bursać.
Contrarily, she highlighted that the authorities in Kosovo* are violating agreements reached and international law, something that members of the Political Committee of the Council of Europe should consider both in the evaluation of Kosovo*’s accession request to the Council of Europe and in their official documents.
Bursać stressed that supporting this request would be another proof that part of the international community is implementing political initiatives in the Western Balkans that are not based on international law, are unjust, inadequate, promote double standards, and do not send good messages for stability and peace.
She mentioned that everyone is called upon to preserve and protect the main pillars of the Council of Europe – democracy and the rule of law, reminding that Kosovo*, as an independent state, is not recognized by two of the most important political systems for the European continent, namely the UN and the EU.
“The crucial issue regarding the rule of law is whether we consider international law in this case. I believe and hope the answer is positive, although we all witness a dangerous trend to decide against it,” Bursać pointed out.
Reminding that BiH, among many other UN member states, has not recognized Kosovo as an independent state, Bursać emphasized that this fact will not change in the future because in BiH, the understanding of what violating international law and the sovereignty of any UN member can mean for the peace and stability of the region and Europe is realized.
“Resolution 1244 remains in force and must not be circumvented or ignored. This organization, and all of us present here, must be aware of what this case, correctly referred to as a precedent by many, could cause regarding the future architecture of the European continent and the integrity of other countries. We cannot deny our responsibility in this process of weakening Europe,” warned Bursać.
As some claim this to be the last generation capable of taking concrete actions to stop climate change, Bursać noted, it is also about the last generation capable of preserving the world order and peace established under the auspices of the UN after the Second World War.
“When it comes to democracy and the rule of law on the ground, we witness daily violence, gross violations of the basic rights of the Serbian population in Kosovo, which, believe it or not, lives in ghettos without freedom of movement. And all this happens in the heart of Europe in the 21st century,” said Bursać.
She pointed out that Serb cemeteries across Kosovo* have been destroyed in an attempt to erase traces of Serb existence in that area.
“Numerous churches and other buildings that are an important part of Serbian cultural heritage are being destroyed, and there are many attempts at false interpretations of historical facts, origins, and contexts of cultural heritage,” said Bursać.
Quoting from the legal experts’ report of the Council of Europe on the request for membership of self-proclaimed Kosovo in this European institution, Bursać mentioned that the right to private property of Serbs is massively restricted, with numerous cases of direct illegal expropriation.
Bursać also reminded of the hostility towards the Serbian population expressed by the Pristina regime, violations of Resolution 1244, agreements reached between Pristina and Belgrade under the auspices of Brussels, as well as regional agreements on free trade.
“With all this in mind, it is absolutely necessary to emphasize that none of the conditions for Kosovo’s accession to the Council of Europe have been met,” concluded Bursać in her address to the members of the Political Committee of the Council of Europe.”
Source: RTRS
