Jeremic: No Quick Solution to Kosovo Problem Regardless of Who Wins U.S. Presidential Vote

Vuk Jeremic (Beta/Milan Obradovic)

People’s Party leader Vuk Jeremic said on Nov. 4 that the issue of Kosovo and Metohija will not be solved soon, regardless of who wins the presidential vote in the U.S., because Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic does not intend to solve it but to keep putting it off forever following the example of the “Cyprus model.”

“The U.S. policy toward Kosovo has not changed under the Donald Trump administration and all documents signed by him clearly state that the ultimate goal of the U.S. in this regard is that Serbia recognizes Kosovo as an independent state,” Jeremic told North Macedonia’s TV21.

Jeremic also said that Vucic is sending signals to the West that he is ready to solve the Kosovo issue in the way the previous authorities were unwilling to accept, but that he is delaying the solution, while at the same time the manner of governing the country and the stifling of democracy and human rights and freedoms “are slipping under the radar.”

“For the U.S. to force Serbia to quickly accept Kosovo’s independence, strong economic pressure through international financial organizations is necessary, but this requires the matter to be of priority [for the U.S.] along with [its] great commitment to the matter, which the U.S. administration will not have regardless of who wins the election,” Jeremic also said.

Jeremic, who is a former Serbian foreign minister and a former president of the U.N. General Assembly, added that “the Balkans is of a relatively low priority” for the U.S. and that there will be no changes in its policy toward the region.