KOSOVO – SERBIA DIALOGUE Pristina – Belgrade Technical Dialogue Agreements: Perceptions On the Ground Prishtinë/Priština, North Mitrovicë/a, Belgrade February 2020 Funded by the European Union Partner organisations in this research NGO Aktiv, North Mitrovicë/a [email protected] Kosovar Centre for Security Studies KCSS, Prishtinë/Priština [email protected] Belgrade Centre for Security Policy BCSP, Belgrade [email protected] Disclaimer: This publication has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Kosovo-Serbia Policy Advocacy Group and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. TABLE OF CONTENTS 04 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 05 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 06 2. INTRODUCTION 06 2.1. Background Information 07 2.2. KSPAG Research 08 3. METHODOLOGY AND SAMPLES 08 3.1. Focus groups 10 3.2. Interviews 10 3.3. Online Survey 11 4. INITIAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE PARTICIPANTS ABOUT THE DIALOGUE PROCESS 11 4.1. Main ways that respondents are informed about the technical agreements 11 4.2. Main reasons for respondents not being informed about the technical agreements 12 4.3. Knowledge about the specific agreements 35 4.4. Graphic representation of the level of knowledge about the technical agreements 37 5. PARTICIPANTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE FUTURE OF THE DIALOGUE 38 6. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS 39 7. MAIN FINDINGS FROM THE REPORT 40 8. RECOMMENDATIONS 42 APPENDICES 4 KOSOVO – SERBIA DIALOGUE: PRISHTINA-BELGRADE TECHNICAL AGREEMENTS: PERCEPTIONS ON THE GROUND LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS A/CSM Association/Community of Serb-majority Municipalities BCSP Belgrade Centre for Security Policy BFPE Belgrade Forum for Political Excellence BPRG Balkans Policy Research Group CSO Civil Society Organisation D4D Democracy for Development EMinS European Movement in Serbia EU European Union IBM Integrated Boundary/ Border Management KCSS Kosovar Centre for Security Studies KPCVA Kosovo Property Comparison and Verification Agency KSPAG Kosovo Serbia Policy Advocacy Group NGO Non-Governmental Organisation ROSU Regional Operational Support Unit of Kosovo Police YUCOM Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights KOSOVO – SERBIA DIALOGUE: PRISHTINA-BELGRADE TECHNICAL AGREEMENTS: PERCEPTIONS ON THE GROUND 5 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Kosovo-Serbia EU-Facilitated Dialogue The recommendations emerging from the has come a long way. Despite many difficulties, responses collected in this research relate to the process has resulted in fifteen agreements the necessity of stakeholders’ additional efforts covering a number of fields that were aimed at in sharing information on the outcomes of helping the normalisation of relations between the EU facilitated technical dialogue and the two parties and improving the lives of their the implementation of its agreements, thus citizens. Nevertheless, many of these agreements improving the transparency of the process and face major challenges in implementation due to preventing the political manipulations during the a lack of political will. Some of them, however, process. The European Union, as the facilitator, have been meaningfully implemented, providing should have a better mechanism for compelling concrete benefits to citizens. Serbian and Kosovan governments to ensure a transparent and adequate implementation of The overall process of technical dialogue has technical agreements. been accompanied by a lack of transparency from both governments and this has contributed Revision of the non-implemented technical to the limited level of information among agreements is also recommended, along with citizens about the process and its outcomes. The the inclusion of experts, and the engagement research conducted by the Kosovo Serbia Policy of the local population in the process of Advocacy Group (KSPAG) members, Kosovo implementation. The need for a greater role Centre for Security Studied (KCSS), NGO for the media in monitoring the process Aktiv and Belgrade Centre for Security Policy of implementation and in informing the (BCSP) explored the perceptions and personal public about the outcomes of the dialogue experiences of Kosovo Albanians, Kosovo Serbs was recognised. In this way, a new narrative and Serbian citizens regarding the technical would emerge – focusing on ethnic Serbs’ and dialogue. Albanians’ common problems and common interests. The findings show a negative assessment of the overall implementation of all technical The report begins with background information agreements from a clear majority of the groups and continues with the research methodology targeted, with the respondents being sceptical and sampling procedures. It then presents an about the benefits brought by the implementation overview of respondents’ understanding of of the agreements. Respondents’ overall the agreements reached within the technical knowledge of the technical agreements is at an dialogue and their perceptions on the future of intermediate level. Older respondents (aged the process. Research findings are summarised 31+) are generally more informed about the in the conclusion, and translated into concrete implementation of technical agreements than recommendations for current and future those in younger age groups. Most respondents stakeholders engaged in the technical dialogue believe that the dialogue so far has not been between Prishtinë/Priština and Belgrade. beneficial for citizens. Some believe that some things have been improved (freedom of movement, telecommunications, etc.), but they also see improvements as minor. 6 KOSOVO – SERBIA DIALOGUE: PRISHTINA-BELGRADE TECHNICAL AGREEMENTS: PERCEPTIONS ON THE GROUND 2. INTRODUCTION 2.1. BACKGROUND to negotiate matters of higher importance for the citizens of Kosovo and Serbia, and have INFORMATION started to implement the agreements signed. The dialogue itself gained in prominence with The EU-facilitated dialogue, often referred to the introduction of the First Agreement of as the Brussels Dialogue between Prishtinë/ Principles Governing the Normalisation of Priština and Belgrade was officially initiated at Relations in 2013, commonly known as the the beginning of 2011, following the introduction Brussels Agreement, and consequent integration of UN General Assembly Resolution 64/298. of the four municipalities in the north of Kosovo Representatives of Kosovo and Serbia held into its system of governance. official meetings between March 2011 and July 2012, where appointed negotiators on technical After the Brussels Agreement, additional matters discussed the main issues of concern agreements were signed in favour of bridging to citizens of both Kosovo and Serbia. Due to difficulties that were still present. The its nature and the issues it covered, the process implementation of agreements had frequent was designated a technical dialogue, resulting in setbacks caused by political instabilities in technical agreements. Kosovo and Serbia but the challenges of the long pre-negotiation period and delays in From the summer of 2012, meetings were raised to dealing with unresolved disputes were partially a higher level of representation, where the prime eliminated. With the facilitation of the EU, the ministers of Kosovo and Serbia participated in process of normalising relations between Kosovo the dialogue, but negotiations also continued and Serbia has been recognised by relevant at a technical level. This was because of the international stakeholders as an important need to deal with daily problems that ordinary peacebuilding process and therefore significant people shared as consequences of undefined attention has been given to the process of legal, economic and communicational relations implementing the technical agreements. between Belgrade and Prishtinë/Priština. During the dialogue, agreements on the With the mediation of the High Representative following technical issues have been signed for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the between Prishtinë/Priština and Belgrade: European Union, the two sides have managed KOSOVO – SERBIA DIALOGUE: PRISHTINA-BELGRADE TECHNICAL AGREEMENTS: PERCEPTIONS ON THE GROUND 7 . Freedom of Movement, 2 July 2011 2.2. KSPAG RESEARCH . Civil Registry, 2 July 2011 . Cadastre, 2 July 2011 Under the ‘Promoting and Communicating . Acceptance of University Diplomas, 2 July Benefits of the Kosovo-Serbia EU-Facilitated 2011 Dialogue’ project funded by the EU, members . Custom Stamps, 2 September 2011 of the Kosovo – Serbia Policy Advocacy Group (KSPAG), Kosovar Centre for Security Studies . Integrated Border/Boundary Management, (KCSS), NGO Aktiv and Belgrade Centre for 23 February 2012 Security Policy (BCSP), conducted research to . Regional Representation and Cooperation, explore citizens’ perceptions and their personal 24 February 2012 experiences with the technical dialogue and its . Energy, 8 September 2013 outcomes. Telecommunications, 3 September 2013 . Vehicle Insurance, 25 June 2015 The research was conducted among Serbs . Mitrovicë/a Bridge, 25 August 2015 in Kosovo from five municipalities: North . The First Agreement of Principles Governing Mitrovica/ë, Gračanica/Graçanicë, Štrpce/ the Normalisation of Relations, 19 April Shtërpcë, Šilovo/Shillovë and Goraždevac/ 2013, covering the issues of: Gorazhdevc; among Albanians in five other cities of Kosovo (Prishtinë/Priština, South Integration of the judiciary in four northern • Mitrovicë/a, Gjilan/Gnjilane, Peja/Peć, Prizren), Kosovo municipalities and among both Serbs and Albanians in eight • Integration of law enforcement in four