10 December 2021

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 normalization 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 normalization agreements that 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 continuing dialogue among civil societies actors and enable substantial involvement for each and every one.

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. Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society

6. Belgrade Centre for Security Policy

7. Balkan Policy Research Group (BPRG)

8. Blloqet e Ndertimit Per Sukses (B.E.N)

9. Crno-beli svet, Mitrovica North

10. Center for Advocacy and Democratic Development (CADD)

11. Center for Peace and Tolerance (CPT)

12. Centar za regionalizam, Novi Sad

13. Civic Initiatives

14. Council for Human Rights – Bujanovac

15. Democracy Plus (D+)

16. Drita Dibrani, civil society activist

17. European Fund for the Balkans

18. Forum for Development and Multiethnic Collaboration (FDMC)

19. HANDIKOS, Kosovo

20. Iniciativa e Pavarur e të Verbërve/Independent Initiative of Blind People, Kosovo

21. Institute for Development Policy (INDEP)

22. Instituti për Zhvillim dhe Integrim (IZHI)

23. Institute for Territorial Economic Development (InTER)

24. Jelena Lončar, docent, University of Belgrade

25. Kosovo Law Institute (KLI)

26. Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (QKSS)

27. Kosova Democratic Institute (KDI)

28. Leadership and Development (LAD)

29. Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM)

30. Mitrovica Women Association for Human Rights (MWAHR)

31. NGO Advocacy for Society Development (AFSD)

32. NVO “PLEJADA” Prizren

33. NVO Communication for the development of society (CSD), Gračanica

34. NGO Aktiv

35. New Social Initiative, Mitrovica

36. OJQ “Drugëza”

37. OJQ “Gruaja Hyjnore”, Gjilan

38. OJQ “VISION 02” Istog

39. OJQ Aureola

40. OJQ Qendra e Gruas “ATO” Vushtrri

41. OJQ Roma in Action Gjakova

42. Open Society Foundation, Novi Sad-Beograd

43. Rahim Salihi, civil society activist, Bujanovac

44. The Balkan Forum

45. Unioni i Punëtorëve Social të Kosovës

46. Valon Arifi, civil society activist, Prishtina

47. Vjollca Krasniqi, Academic, University of Prishtina

48. Voice of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians (VoRAE)

49. Xhejrane Lokaj, civil society activist

50. Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) Kosovo

51. Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) Kosovo