UNMIK ON AIR

210403

KS CAR PLATES

(Zoran Culafic)

Hello and welcome to UNMIK ON AIR with Sputnik Kilambi and Martin Redi.

Though almost a year has gone since UNMIK drafted the agreement on the free use of Kosovo KS number plates, a positive response from Belgrade is still being awaited. The basic idea is to improve freedom of movement for all Kosovo citizens, and the free use of KS plates would be of special significance for Serbs and other minority communities.

Most K-Serbs agree that KS plates would help them to move freely throughout Kosovo, but they want these to be recognized in Serbia as well, to enable them to drive to any place in Serbia without having to pay additional insurance and taxes.

Vox Pop: The agreement must be at the level of the state, the Coordination center and the Government of Serbia, to make it possible to drive in Serbia with KS plates. Maybe it is good to have KS plates, but they need to be recognized by Serbia, Macedonia and others, to allow us to travel freely.

Given all the good reasons in favor, why is the agreement still unsigned? Judging from recent comments from Kosovo Coordination Centre chief Nebojsa Covic, the deal is being held up because of a political dispute between Belgrade and UNMIK.

Covic accuses UNMIK head Michael Steiner of not fulfilling promises about north Mitrovica, and that, according to him is the only reason why the agreement on KS plates has not been signed as yet.

Nebojsa Covic: So, I’ve come to the conclusion (that) he (Mr. Steiner) is quite a polite politician who promises a lot, but when it comes to realization, then there is nothing from the promises. I couldn’t care less whether Albanians put pressure on him regarding the north Mitrovica agreement. The Serbs are putting pressure on me as well, but he has to carry out what we agreed upon. And there was an agreement – an advisory council to be made up of six Serbs. He can’t say now, well, I have changed my mind; it’s going to be 4 Serbs, one Albanian and one Roma, It is not possible; the agreement will fail (in that case). So, he should be not surprised that the agreement hasn’t been signed. I know he is suffering because of that, but I’m suffering because of many other things too.

This is a shortsighted view feels a high-ranking Serb representative in Pristina, Nenad Radosavljevic, Steiner’s advisor on returns and minorities and will work against the interests of Serbs in Kosovo. At any rate, he adds, it won’t be possible for a democratic authority in Belgrade to stop cars with KS plates from entering Serbia.

Nenad Radosavljevic: Therefore stopping or delaying the process of signing the final agreement on KS plates entering Serbia is a total nonsense and a counterproductive move. From June last year, when the initiative was brought in action, and when a political agreement in principle was reached, all that period of time was used for political games which are stupid and only damaging the interests of the Serb community in Kosovo and Metohija, and the general situation here, as well as to the process of integration of this region.

It appears that many K-Serbs back Radosavljevic’s stand on this issue. And judging from our mini opinion poll in Pristina, K-Albanians think the same.

VOX-POP: The wisest thing now would be talks between UNMIK and Serbia, to make it clear where we are, and who we are. They need to say whether Kosovar plates are valid and you can come to Serbia, or that they are not valid and do not register the new ones. We are the ones paying the price.

They are asking for hundreds of Euros. Where can we get that money? Without jobs, without other sources for living.

The issue of KS number plates has clearly been left pending too long. An agreement here would be of benefit not just to Kosovans, but to Serbia as well, adds Nenad Radosavljevic - A major step towards regional economic cooperation and development.

Nenad Radosavljevic: Looking from the political point of the Serb community in Kosovo and Metohija it is a huge interest indeed to be allowed KS plates to enter Serbia. Allowing cars with KS plates to enter Serbia will facilitate the integration of the Albanian population in the whole region, first of all in Serbia. And besides, they are already linked to Belgrade and other trade and economic centers in Serbia.

Nebojsa Covic said recently he would resign from his job as Kosovo coordinator – but the KS car-plates agreement is still on the table, waiting to be signed. Meanwhile the longsuffering people, fed up with the constant wrangling, have just one hope – to be able to get into their cars and drive wherever they want.

That does it for this edition of UNMIK ON AIR. Thanks for listening.