With every right, the last ten years of the rule of the Serbian Progressive Party, which brought us to where we are, should be harshly criticized. The previous authorities also have their share of responsibility, which in the last 30 years missed the opportunity to resolve this issue, each time with the worsening position of Serbia and the Serbian community in Kosovo. However, our dissatisfaction with the way this country is run, with less and less democracy and more and more captive institutions, with the flourishing of corruption and crime, cannot be a reason not to accept the European-American Agreement on the Road to the Normalization of Relations between Serbia and Kosovo
Natan Albahari PSG photo: private PSG website...
Reading various analyzes and listening to comments from different angles on the European, or rather on the European-American Agreement on the road to the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, one gets the impression that there is a possibility to fundamentally change the document and that even, without too much concern, it can be completely to be rejected, because a better solution will be found sometime.
I think that this approach is both harmful and dishonest to the voters and citizens of Serbia, as well as factually wrong, since it was clearly stated that there is no change to this agreement. This is especially true in a situation when such messages come from the ranks of political actors who see themselves as pro-European. As if they do not understand the current geopolitical situation in the world and where Serbia is located. This is not a proposal thought up by bureaucrats in some ministry and put on the table with various other options, so now we can choose what we like or not. That train has long since passed. This is a proposal backed by the most powerful forces from the part of the world we want to belong to - let's call it the West, Europe or Euro-Atlantic; our place is here, and all the countries that make up that space are behind this proposal.
In these circumstances, saying "no" takes us back to the period in which Serbia made historical mistakes, and from which we are still recovering. This must be clear to all citizens of Serbia, and political actors should not hide this fact from the public.
With every right, the last ten years of the rule of the Serbian Progressive Party, which brought us to where we are, should be harshly criticized. The previous authorities also have their share of responsibility, which in the last 30 years missed the opportunity to resolve this issue, each time with the worsening position of Serbia and the Serbian community in Kosovo. However, our dissatisfaction with the way this country is run, with less and less democracy and more and more captive institutions, with the flourishing of corruption and crime, cannot be a reason not to accept this agreement.
This agreement does not deal with the organization of our political society, nor the political framework and institutions, nor should it deal with those issues. The agreement has a clear framework for the future of Serbia - and that is Serbia as part of the European community, as a future member of the European Union. And it remains up to us how we will fight for changes and reforms that must come exclusively from within.
At the moment, over 6000 of our workers work in over 200.000 Western companies in Serbia. We don't have the sea or unlimited mineral wealth, and not even a sufficient number of young professionals on which to base our economic development - Serbia's economy is completely dependent on investments, and every, even the smallest disturbance in this field leads us to serious budget and development problems. I have no intention of scaring anyone, but this is a fact that must be clear to all parties and the public of Serbia when they decide according to the agreement that is before us.
Instead of irrational opposition to the agreement, which leaves the possibility to strengthen the status of the Serbian community in Kosovo, we should use this moment if, of course, we get to the implementation itself, to lay the foundations of a future Serbia, facing the West and cemented in the political and security European structures. Serbia, as the largest country in the region, has the opportunity to finally become a positive player in the Balkans. Instead of our neighbors fearing us and seeing us as a threat, we should extend the hand of partnership and cooperation in areas that would make life easier for all our citizens. As a responsible regional power, and through our newly established alliance relations with key European and Euro-Atlantic states, we would have the opportunity to protect and defend our interests and the status of Serbian minorities and cultural heritage. With a strong and integrated economy with Europe, based on the rule of law, free market and environmental protection, as well as with a strengthened cultural scene, Serbia would have a positive influential soft power that it could use and spread in the region.
Today we are literally choosing our future, as well as the future and security of the Serbian community in Kosovo, and it is fair to say: it will primarily depend on the decision in which direction Serbia wants to go today.
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