Today, during a press conference, KDI has presented the results of the third survey on Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia: “6 years after (not) consolidation of citizenship – the citizens' view about Kosovo-Serbia dialogue”.

In this survey, KDI addressed the main and most controversial issues in the country about this process related to the extension of the justice system throughout the country, the dissolution of Serbian parallel structures, the extension of the sovereignty of Kosovo's institutions throughout the country and the impact of the establishment of the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities in interethnic relations.

On this occasion, Jeta Krasniqi from KDI, made the presentation of the main findings of this survey according to which the majority of Kosovo's citizens, respectively 46% of them, estimate that the association of Serb majority municipalities can affect the deterioration of interethnic relations.

“Half of Kosovo's citizens, respectively 51%, estimate that Kosovo-Serbia dialogue has not affected Kosovo to extend its sovereignty to the north of the country. There are only 4% of citizens who consider that Kosovo-Serbia dialogue has had an impact on this aspect, “she said.

Based on the survey, half of Kosovo's citizens, respectively 48% of them, estimate that Serb parallel structures in Kosovo funded by the state of Serbia have not been extinguished. Also, Kosovo's citizens on high level, or 58% of them, estimate that the justice agreement will not be successful in integrating northern courts into the Kosovo judiciary.

KDI recommends that the Justice Agreement reached within the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue be made public to citizens and that the Government and justice institutions actively engage in enhancing transparency on the Justice Agreement to citizens affected by this agreement, to the public as well as to the justice system officials who will operate under this agreement.

“KDI recommends to the Government and the Assembly of Kosovo that the process of implementing the agreements be more transparent for the citizens of Kosovo and to have systematic information on the degree of implementation of the agreements and their expected effects on the ground. Also, the Government should increase its concrete commitment to dismantle Serbian parallel structures funded by the state of Serbia in all areas of the entire territory of the country, “Krasniqi added.

At the same time, she said that Kosovo institutions should take all the necessary measures to guarantee the extent of sovereignty of the state throughout its territory.

KDI considers that the Kosovo Government should guarantee a comprehensive approach and full transparency for the formation of the association of Serb-majority municipalities, elaborating in detail the competences of this mechanism, and guaranteeing a genuine social debate about its effects.

 

This poll is organized within the KDI mission to promote accountability and responsible democracy and the project funded by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland to strengthen parliamentary oversight of the executive and increase citizen participation in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.