Joint Statement of Kosovo and Serbia Civil Society Actors

Witnessing that Kosovo-Serbia relations are not improving despite the ongoing dialogue process, we express our deep concern for the deterioration of the situation on the ground and in the daily lives of citizens. There is a need to safeguard and protect the human rights of minority groups in Serbia and Kosovo.

Concerned that the dialogue is being used to distract from important issues such as the deterioration of the rule of law, corruption, and human rights challenges.

Recognizing contextual differences regarding the levels of democracy, the rule of law, and separation of power, which influence the process of normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo:

We call on the governments of Serbia and Kosovo to:

• continue the dialogue in a substantial and sustainable manner;
• promptly implement already reached agreements;
• refrain from inflammatory rhetoric against minority communities and populist narratives regarding mutual relations and history;
• commit to transparency and ensure civic participation;
• take prompt measures to develop internal processes of integration;
• respect the rights of minorities; and,
• work on confidence-building measures to bring communities together.

 We call on the International Community: 

• to support dialogue and the normalisation agreements that not are not at the expense of democracy in Kosovo and Serbia;
• to focus on substantial solutions instead of resolving daily disputes among the parties in dialogue;
• to support civil society in the wider sense (CSOs, academia, cultural institutions, media, trade unions, etc.);
• to work on normalization and sustainable relations between two parties;
• to foster a wider inter and intra-societal debate on  possible solutions and priorities in the dialogue.

We commit to:

• further impel substantial and continuous debate between civil society in Serbia and Kosovo;
• exchange information about issues, context and developments in both societies in a timely manner;
• have joint reactions on the alarming issues that deteriorate the situation on the ground and have a detrimental impact on relations between communities;
• keep in focus on-going challenges not being resolved, which are marginalized due to current issues or incidents;
• maintain a space for civil society proactive leadership in creating better relations and improvements in human rights and the everyday lives of citizens;
• recognize differences among processes in Serbia and Kosovo and react in line with those processes asking for steps in the right direction;
• involve other civil society actors for a continuing dialogue among civil societies actors and enable substantial involvement for each and everyone.

Signatories:

1. Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture (ACDC)
2. Advocacy Training and Resource Center (ATRC)
3. Arjeta Maka, civil society activist, Gjilan
4. Assist Kosovo Center – ASSIST, Prishtina
5. Balkan Policy Research Group (BPRG)
6. Belgrade Centre for Security Policy
7. Blloqet e Ndertimit Per Sukses (B.E.N)
8. Centar za regionalizam, Novi Sad
9. Center for Advocacy and Democratic Development (CADD)
10. Center for Peace and Tolerance (CPT)
11. Civic Initiatives
12. Council for Human Rights – Bujanovac
13. Crno-beli svet, Mitrovica North
14. Democracy Plus (D+)
15. Drita Dibrani, civil society activist
16. European Fund for the Balkans
17. Forum for Development and Multiethnic Collaboration (FDMC)
18. Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society
19. HANDIKOS, Kosovo
20. Iniciativa e Pavarur e të Verbërve/Independent Initiative of Blind People, Kosovo
21. Institute for Development Policy (INDEP)
22. Institute for Territorial Economic Development (InTER)
23. Instituti Cilësor për Hulumtime Analiza dhe Trajnime (iCHAT)
24. Instituti për Zhvillim dhe Integrim (IZHI)
25. Jelena Lončar, docent, University of Belgrade
26. Kosova Democratic Institute (KDI)
27. Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (QKSS)
28. Kosovo Law Institute (KLI)
29. Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM)
30. Leadership and Development (LAD)
31. Mitrovica Women Association for Human Rights (MWAHR)
32. New Social Initiative, Mitrovica
33. NGO Advocacy for Society Development (AFSD)
34. NGO Aktiv
35. NVO “PLEJADA” Prizren
36. NVO Communication for the development of society (CSD), Gračanica
37. OJQ “Drugëza”
38. OJQ “Gruaja Hyjnore”, Gjilan
39. OJQ “VISION 02” Istog
40. OJQ Aureola
41. OJQ Qendra e Gruas “ATO” Vushtrri
42. OJQ Roma in Action Gjakova
43. Open Society Foundation, Novi Sad-Beograd
44. Rahim Salihi, civil society activist, Bujanovac
45. Shoqata e Psikologëve Malishevë
46. The Balkan Forum
47. Unioni i Punëtorëve Social të Kosovës
48. Valon Arifi, civil society activist, Prishtina
49. Vjollca Krasniqi, Academic, University of Prishtina
50. Voice of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians (VoRAE)
51. Xhejrane Lokaj, civil society activist
52. Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) Kosovo
53. Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) Kosovo