According to Croatia’s daily Večernji list, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has resigned to the idea that Serbia will have to recognise Kosovo in return for EU membership. Sources close to Kosovo’s PM Hashim Thaci confirmed to the paper that Vučić was under pressure from the international community to recognise Kosovo and that he would do so by spring next year. This is anyhow a prerequisite for Serbia’s entry into the EU. Vučić, aware that the loss of Kosovo is inevitable, is now trying to achieve as much as possible in return, Večernji list claims. This is reflected in his openness to a plan to divide Kosovo borders between Albanians and Serbs, the paper says. There are 124,000 Serbs living in Kosovo in ten Serbian municipalities, of which only those in the northern part form an integrated territory. The territory of the Serbian municipalities covers 1,700 square kilometers, which is approximately as big as Vienna with its surroundings.
Russia would support a solution to the Kosovo issue that would be acceptable to Serbia, said a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova during a visit to Belgrade. She emphasised that Moscow’s position on Kosovo is “consistent and srict and it consists of three components: an international legal basis for what is the current situation in Kosovo, respect for Serbian sovereignty and independence, and understanding the interests of Serbia and its people”. Zakharova stressed, however, that the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 is still in force and “those countries that are now very loud when it comes to the need to respect the international law should remember that Resolution 1244 is on the table”. She added, however, in an interview with the Radio Television of Serbia (RTS), that “we need to understand the interests of Serbian people. What will be acceptable for Serbia will also be acceptable for Russia”.
