YouSaid · the spoken record

Ivica Dačić

lines on the record: 34
first: 2020-04-24
most recent: 2020-10-21
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Economic cooperation is important for future political agreements, but the road to political normalization is long. The talks we resumed in Brussels are not easy, since major differences in our respective approaches persist. However, we truly believe that dialogue is the only possible way to reach a long-term solution to our problems and ensure better relations, peace and stability in the region.”
2020-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1040 (2020) · source
“In the context of KFOR’s activities, allow me to voice our serious concern over the practice introduced by its forces to conduct joint patrols with so-called Kosovo police forces in the vicinity of the administrative boundary line, which is contrary to the existing security framework according to which KFOR is the only partner of the Serbian Armed Forces in securing that boundary line. The announced intention by Pristina officials to introduce three-month mandatory military service also gives reasons for concern. This is yet another announcement of a one-sided and unacceptable act of Pristina, contrary to resolution 1244 (1999) and the established KFOR mandate as the only legal and legitimate military structure in the province. In early September, we took a step in the right direction.”
2020-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1040 (2020) · source
“We genuinely hope that, despite these incredible events and obstructions, the court will manage to conduct proceedings so that the victims of the horrendous crimes will finally obtain justice. Needless to say, the UNMIK presence in Kosovo and Metohija remains necessary, and we expect the Mission to continue to actively perform its mandate, together with the equally important presence of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo and KFOR, for its engagement in the rule of law and as major guarantors of security, respectively.”
2020-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1040 (2020) · source
“In his report, the Secretary-General also singled out this problem (S/2020/964, annex II). The initiative of adopting a law on the protection of the values of the so- called Kosovo Liberation Army is equally unthinkable at a time when indictments are brought against its members for the most serious criminal acts. How can it be explained that the current President of so-called Kosovo is trying to abolish a court that Pristina itself had established, so as to avoid indictment and prosecution for crimes he had committed? How can one explain the appearance of a masked man at the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army veterans association headquarters, removing thousands upon thousands of documents, including draft indictments and protected- witness testimonies with their names and personal data? This would be too much for even a Hollywood thriller.”
2020-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1040 (2020) · source
“However, we are also following with great concern Pristina’s activities aimed at derogating the functioning of the court, attempting to formally limit and prevent its operation or even to abolish it. We are particularly concerned with the activities aimed at intimidating witnesses and disclosing witness identities. It is unheard of that the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office would publicize the indictments against Thaçi, Veseli and other individuals before they were formally indicted for charges that include war crimes and crimes against humanity, killings, forced disappearances, persecution and torture. According to the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office, this decision was made because of the “repeated efforts by Hashim Thaçi and Kadri Veseli to obstruct and undermine the work of the Specialist Chambers”.”
2020-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1040 (2020) · source
“For the past 20 years, Serbia has maintained that it had to process perpetrators of horrendous crimes committed against Serbs and Roma as well as some Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija by the terrorist so-called Kosovo Liberation Army. And yet for years we have been hearing Pristina lament the Albanian victims, the plight of innocent civilians and the “pure and unblemished fight” of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army. The fact that Kosovo Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor’s Office were established more than five years ago suggests that there is another side to the coin. Notwithstanding the more than five years that have elapsed since the establishment of the court, we welcome the first indictments.”
2020-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1040 (2020) · source
“Despite interventions by representatives of the Quinta group and other international organizations — the EU, the OSCE and the Kosovo Force (KFOR) — it remains uncertain whether the final court order will be enforced, since the local authorities have not committed to permanently ceasing the construction in the special protective zone. Today Council members will probably hear again the same falsehoods on Serbian colonialism and the alleged genocide against Albanians that the representatives of Pristina have been promoting for 20 years. Let me be clear: every victim deserves justice, and every perpetrator must be brought to justice. That said, this principle must apply equally to everyone.”
2020-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1040 (2020) · source
“How can returns take place when security is still not guaranteed and when it is impossible to enjoy fundamental human rights, access to justice, the right to property and freedom of movement? I should also mention the Serb cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo and Metohija and Pristina’s attempts to revise history with claims that Serb churches in Kosovo and Metohija are not actually Serb. What then is next — claiming that Serbs have never lived in Kosovo and Metohija? Other examples of Pristina’s arrogance in the cultural heritage sphere are its repeated attempts to build a road through the special protected zone of the Visoki Dečani monastery, which has been placed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger.”
2020-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1040 (2020) · source
“It is no wonder, then, that internally displaced persons are not returning to their homes. Twenty years on, out of 200,000 people, a meagre 1.9 per cent have achieved a sustainable return. Pristina claims that every displaced person who wished to return to Kosovo and Metohija could have done so, and that most Serbs did not return because they did not wish to do so. Information from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says otherwise, while the report of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) states that “a considerable number of displaced persons are interested in returning, but many of them remain deprived of their property or face serious obstacles to return”.”
2020-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1040 (2020) · source
“Yet, despite the appeal to local authorities to respond urgently in order to track down the perpetrators and publicly discourage such acts, justice for Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija is slow and unachievable, and the number of incidents are undiminished. Even during the pandemic, under even more adverse conditions, acts against the Serb community continue unabated. Just a few weeks ago, in the village of Donja Brnjica, near Pristina, Serb children were shot at by an Albanian in the elementary schoolyard. In the village of Babin Most, near Obilić, there was an attempt to abduct a Serbian schoolgirl coming home from school. The attacks on families of returnees have not ceased, not to mention cases of houses being set on fire, as well as looting and intimidation.”
2020-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1040 (2020) · source
“Unlike anywhere else in Europe, Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija have become a legitimate everyday target — just for belonging to another nation and religion. Their houses are set ablaze, their property is usurped and destroyed, their cemeteries and churches are desecrated and their families are attacked and intimidated. Videos of people trampling on the Serbian flag are shared on social networks and hatred towards members of the Serb community is still rampant. The report under review today, like most such reports since UNMIK was deployed, expresses concern about a large number of incidents directed against Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija.”
2020-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1040 (2020) · source
“Unfortunately, by continuing to lobby for new recognition, Pristina has violated the section of the Washington agreement calling for a one-year moratorium on activities that recognize Kosovo, thereby undermining trust and rendering meaningless the agreements reached in good faith. I am confident that the Council shares the view that a great deal of time has been wasted. For seven and a half years, Pristina has stalled dialogue by failing to implement the obligations it has undertaken. It is high time for Pristina to start to act in a serious and responsible manner by implementing what has been agreed, rather than waiting for another seven and a half years to make progress in the dialogue. To live as a Serb in Kosovo and Metohija today is an achievement in itself.”
2020-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1040 (2020) · source
“I would like to reiterate that the Republic of Serbia remains committed to the EU-facilitated dialogue, in the sincere belief that dialogue is the only true path towards a sustainable solution to the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. We are also grateful to the United States of America, President Trump and his Special Presidential Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo Peace Negotiations, Mr. Grenell, for their commitment and engagement, as the agreement reached on 4 September in Washington, D.C., on economic normalization represents a significant step forward. The fact that Pristina joined the mini-Schengen zone is important not only for the economy, but also for the day-to-day life of all communities in Kosovo and Metohija and the entire region.”
2020-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1040 (2020) · source
“Would the Council have patience and understanding and make excuses for us the way it has done for Pristina for more than seven years? Nevertheless, Serbia has patiently demonstrated its commitment to dialogue and the implementation of what was agreed in the hope that others will realize how the process as a whole was damaged by Pristina’s unacceptable conduct. We are encouraged that last week, on his visit to Pristina, Special Representative Lajčák insisted on the full implementation of the agreements reached. The negative reaction of Pristina to his statements, however, indicates that they still lack the political will necessary for substantial progress in the dialogue process.”
2020-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1040 (2020) · source
“The guarantor of the agreement was none other than the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy at the time, Ms. Catherine Ashton. I have already noted in this organ that, by refusing to form a community of Serb municipalities, under the pretext that it was contrary to the so-called Constitution of Kosovo, Pristina misled Serbia and the EU, as guarantor, by failing to implement the agreement it signed. For years now, we have kept asking the EU the same question, which I have repeated in the Chamber time and again, concerning whether something we discuss, agree and sign can be called a dialogue and agreement if one side says it will not implement what was agreed. I ask the same question again today: What would happen if Serbia decided not to deliver on its commitments?”
2020-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1040 (2020) · source
“I would like to thank Secretary-General Guterres and Special Representative Tanin for the Secretary-General’s latest report (S/2020/964) and their efforts in carrying out the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), in line with resolution 1244 (1999). The undiminished presence of UNMIK in Kosovo and Metohija is critical to building lasting peace, stability and security in the province. Serbia has been taking a very serious and responsible approach to the dialogue with Pristina, which has lasted for almost a decade. I would like to point to the problems that we have been facing since the beginning and persist to this day. Let me remind the Council that more than seven years ago in Brussels, Hashim Thaçi and I signed the Brussels Agreement following difficult negotiations and major concessions on our part.”
2020-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1040 (2020) · source
“Sadly, I cannot help but conclude that Pristina politicians have, through their behaviour in these difficult times, once again affirmed a fact that has been clear to all, but that some Council members would not admit to, namely, that the project to create an independent State of Kosovo was a big mistake made by a part of the international community, as well as that States cannot be created by unilateral decisions. Let me reiterate once again that the Republic of Serbia firmly believes that problems should be resolved through dialogue and hopes that conditions for this will be in place as soon as possible. Serbia’s endeavour is to ensure that we build a joint future by pursuing a policy of peace and cooperation.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“The main victims of political conduct that shows no signs of readiness for a compromise solution that would satisfy the interests of both the Serbian and Albanian sides are not the politicians, but Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, who have been physically assaulted, threatened and exposed to hate speech on a daily basis, and also Albanians who are now rushing to Serbia to receive medical treatment. Therefore, the responsibility lies with political leaders not to generate contexts that prevent the development of a society towards a democratic and modern one.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“The political messages conveyed by representatives of the then new Government, which was dismissed in less than two months in a vote of no-confidence, can be taken seriously or not, or seen either as only serving local political purposes or as being addressed to the international public. However, it is a fact that every word uttered at any time and any decision we make can have unforeseen consequences for all citizens. The weight of responsibility is all the greater if one is dealing with a sensitive situation, as is the case in Kosovo and Metohija.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“Therefore, it is our hope that the activity of the Specialist Chambers for crimes committed in Kosovo and Metohija will contribute to justice being served for all. At a time when the whole world is facing one of the greatest challenges of the century and when we are required to show maturity and seriousness, the Pristina authorities have demonstrated that they do not consider the safety and the lives of citizens to be a top priority and that nothing matters to them more than who will assume political power. They have shown an utmost lack of understanding of what a responsible approach means, while failing to address the difficult challenges we are all facing at the moment.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“If it is indeed our wish to build a future together, we are also obliged to act in a responsible way and say that those who suffered the most in the conflicts in Kosovo and Metohija were innocent civilians, regardless of their ethnicity. We cannot allow one side to assume the role of sole victim while denying the crimes committed against the Serb population. The farming families killed in Staro Gracko and the child victims in Goraždevac, victims of the massacre at Lake Radonjić and the Klečka killings, as well as each and every one of the 200,000 Serbs persecuted by the so-called KLA from Kosovo and Metohija, of whom only 1.9 per cent have achieved sustainable return, and who are not able to get back to their homes in Kosovo and Metohija for safety reasons even after more than 20 years, all deserve answers.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“The statement about military service indicates another forthcoming unilateral and absolutely unacceptable act by Pristina, in violation of resolution 1244 (1999) and the Kosovo Force mandate it established, as the only legal and legitimate military structure in the province. With regard to the announcement to bring a case against Serbia before the International Court of Justice on the count of alleged genocide, that has been clearly motivated by Pristina’s attempts to somehow obscure the issue of trials for crimes committed by the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), particularly now that it has become apparent that it is highly likely that, despite years of delays, formal indictments will soon be raised before the Specialist Chambers.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“In the previous period, we were particularly alarmed by two highly important issues concerning the vows to make military service compulsory in Kosovo and Metohija and to pass the so-called law on war crimes, genocide and alleged Serbian aggression. I remind the Council that a special Security Council meeting was held in December 2018 (see S/PV.8427) to address the announced establishment of the so-called Kosovo armed forces and that on that occasion, and several times after that, we warned about the serious consequences of such steps that would immediately threaten the safety of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and drastically deteriorate the security situation in the region.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“In February of this year, when the fake news appeared that Jamaica purportedly recognized Kosovo unilateral declaration of independence, Pristina representatives, including Hashim Thaçi and Behgjet Pacolli, expressed their gratitude to United States Congressman Eliot Engel for his assistance. In a letter to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, Congressman Engel and Senator Robert Menendez requested to be informed “why the [United States] Administration has neither imposed those sanctions nor actively pressed Serbia to end its global de-recognition efforts”. Please, let me know how such steps could be considered as conducive to a good climate for the continuation of the dialogue. Only if everyone stops lobbying, the same can be asked of Serbia.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“I need to reiterate once again that we see it as unacceptable to draw any correlation between the imposition of anti-civilizational tariffs and the decisions to revoke recognitions of the unilateral declaration of independence by so-called Kosovo, particularly bearing in mind that Pristina, by its own admission, has continued lobbying across the globe in favour of the recognition of so-called “Kosovo”, in which, as they have claimed, they enjoyed selfless support by some members of the Council. If members are requesting that we stop campaigning for the revocation of recognitions, would it not make perfect sense for them to stop lobbying in favour of Kosovo unilateral declaration of independence first, while asking the so-called Kosovo authorities to do the same?”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“I take this opportunity to once again call for a return to dialogue and refraining from unilateral moves. The ongoing situation has taught us better than any before that we need to rely on each other and be aware of the importance of cooperation and connectivity. Regrettably, the current political atmosphere in Kosovo and Metohija has resulted in even the assistance and solidarity of Serbia in the fight against COVID-19 being a subject of politicization and misinterpretation by way of brutal attacks and unseemly accusations, to which the entire international community responded with condemnation. It is therefore incumbent upon us to set aside our differences once we overcome the coronavirus pandemic, and arrive at decisions and solutions that will ensure normal and peaceful life to all communities in Kosovo and Metohija.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“We have heard countless calls made by all the stakeholders involved for the revocation of the senseless tariffs, including at Security Council meetings, but Pristina has persistently refused to do so. We were recently informed that Kurti made a decision to lift the tariffs, but to also impose “reciprocity measures” at the same time. Such a disingenuous move by Pristina was meant to “pull the wool over the eyes” of everyone who called for the revocation of the tariffs, while practically making no difference as compared to the previous measures. For that reason, I would like to remind once again that resolution 1244 (1999) remains the only valid United Nations document, which must be respected, and that the formation of the community of Serbian municipalities is Pristina’s obligation in accordance with the Brussels Agreement.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“I take this opportunity to express gratitude to Ambassador Richard Grenell, Special Envoy of the President of the United States, for his initiative and all the efforts he made towards reaching the agreement. Support and assistance in the context of dialogue is always welcome. We hope that the engagement on the part of the European Union (EU) will also gain new momentum with the appointment of Mr. Miroslav Lajčák as the EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and that conditions for the continuation of the dialogue will be in place immediately upon the end of the pandemic. All it takes for that to happen is for one step to be made by Pristina.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“Their position as to the tariffs imposed by Pristina on goods originating from central Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina — thus inflicting immeasurable political and economic damage on Serbia and the region as a whole — has best illustrated their approach to the dialogue as well. Despite all of that, Serbia has continued to show its commitment to the resolution of all issues relevant to the lives of our citizens, while striving to promote connectivity and freedom of movement as well as the flow of goods, capital, services and people. In view of that, and as a token of goodwill, we recently signed letters of intent to establish air and railway traffic between Belgrade and Pristina, as well as a statement of intent to finalize the construction of a motorway connecting the two cities.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“We had hoped that the October election in Kosovo and Metohija and the appointment of new authorities in February this year would have been a good opportunity for Pristina PISGs to turn over a new leaf in their approach to the dialogue, to finally show readiness for talks and revoke the controversial decision on the imposition of tariffs, which resulted in the dialogue being stalemated for a long time now. However, we ended up being faced with positions even more extreme and an absolute lack of goodwill for the dialogue, which was all made blatantly obvious in the programme presented and decisions made by the Albin Kurti Government.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“Serbia has time and time again, and most notably in the past year, demonstrated its strong commitment to finding a compromise solution for the issue of Kosovo and Metohija that would secure lasting peace and stability, while also showing its readiness to reach a solution by which neither side would be an absolute winner, but would gain enough for the solution to be a long-term and sustainable one. Serbia has responded with restraint to all the unilateral and discriminatory actions of Pristina PISGs, while refraining from countermeasures and acting as a responsible partner, one contributing to stabilization of the situation and aiming to secure conditions for an unimpeded course of dialogue.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“Persons who had been infected in Kosovo and Metohija and who have been receiving medical treatment in central Serbia include both Serbs and Albanians, and last week we donated 1,000 coronavirus test kits to the Institute of Public Health in Pristina. I would like to reiterate that Serbia will continue to extend all the necessary assistance and show solidarity to all in these difficult times, as well as that the fight against coronavirus and the protection of human lives are the top priority today. In this context, I will briefly reflect only on the previous period, covered in the report of the Secretary-General (S/2020/255).”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“I wish to point out the importance of this meeting being held, as it conveys a strong message to the people in Kosovo and Metohija that they have not been forgotten, at this difficult hour, and that we care for them more than ever before, well aware of the fact that their living conditions were difficult even before the pandemic outbreak. We have undertaken decisive measures to help Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija fight the epidemic — by supplying medical and protective equipment and sending medical doctors and staff. But we have also expressed readiness from the very beginning to fully cooperate with Albanians and work together with representatives of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG) in Pristina to combat the epidemic.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source
“Unfortunately, I address the Security Council today at a time when the whole world is facing the huge challenge posed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. I would like to voice my hope that our joint efforts, mutual solidarity and cooperation will see us overcome this difficult situation in the very near future. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the coronavirus disease throughout the world and to show the strong solidarity of Serbia with all countries affected by the pandemic.”
2020-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/339 (2020) · source