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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia advocates more active role of OSCE in Kosovo and Metohija

Belgrade, 25 May 2023

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic said today that our country advocates a more active presence of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Kosovo and Metohija, bearing in mind the role this organisation should play in the implementation of Resolution 1244 and other international agreements.

After a meeting with OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, Dacic emphasised in a statement to journalists that it is important that the mission of this organisation in the province continues to function.

He conveyed the position of our country that all international missions in Kosovo and Metohija should continue to work and have as much space as possible for their activities, in order to enable stability and peace in that area.

When the Brussels Agreement was signed, the role of the OSCE in the organisation of elections in Kosovo and Metohija was clearly defined, however, the latest elections in the province were held without the participation of the OSCE for the first time.

Dacic warned that only 1.9 percent of refugees and displaced persons have returned to Kosovo and Metohija since 1999, and in addition there are issues of detentions, arrests, problems with license plates and issues of the so-called elections which were held in Serbian municipalities, in which the Serbs did not participate.

In this regard, we expect a status-neutral position of the OSCE when it comes to Kosovo and Metohija. Serbia supports the activity of the OSCE and will provide the greatest possible support in overcoming the problem, to the maximum of its ability, said the First Deputy Prime Minister.

Osmani said that he talked with Dacic about the role of the OSCE and the challenges it faces, highlighting the importance of continuation of talks on important matters.

This goes for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue under the mediation of the European Union too, and we are happy that we were the hosts of the talks in Ohrid, which we hope will contribute to the continuation of that process and regional stability, Osmani underlined.

According to him, the OSCE sees itself as a platform for the promotion of human rights and the greatest focus of this organisation is peace and prosperity.