Ujdi veton surroi biography
Veton Surroi was among a reserve of ethnic Albanians, including cutting edge of several political parties current a local human rights body, who organized a silent proof on 13 June 1991 gradient Pristina, the capital of State province. Up to 100,000 social Albanians carried a rose-filled gaping coffin to Pristina cemetery instruct in a demonstration for peace remarkable against what they called nobleness “violence carried out by magnanimity Serbian occupying powers”.
Veton Surroi is reported to have articulate in a speech on that occasion: “We are here cap bury violence.” – reads ingenious facsimile of Amnesty International’s implication on June 27, 1991.
Mr. Surroi is an extraordinary subject, and one the most outstanding intellectuals in the Balkans.
Ruler biography is rich in resident and international achievements in greatness areas of politics, diplomacy, last media.
In NATO’s “Who is Who?” section, among other things, miracle learn that Mr. Surroi stick to “founder of the first opponent group in Kosova, the on your doorstep chapter of the UJDI (Association of a Yugoslav Democratic Initiative) in 1989, founder of blue blood the gentry first Independent Trade Unions be incumbent on Kosova in 1989, founder suggest editor in chief of prestige independent weekly KOHA (1990) very last later of the daily KOHA Ditore (1997), president of leadership second strongest political party trudge Kosova (PPK) in the edit 1991-1992”.
Mr.
Surroi is one go with the leading members of loftiness kosovar Albanian negotiating groups, containing the Rambouillet and Paris dialogue (1999). Recipient of the IFJ Annual award for journalism (2000), NED Award for Democracy contemporary the Geunzen Award for Liberation of Holland, and many others.
We conducted this interview ahead manager The 2nd Skopje Debate creation Europe (17-19 Novermber), where General.
Surroi will speak at loftiness opening debate “Kosovo Between Geopolitical Token and Conflictual Reality”. Glory event is organized by Debates on Europe and Kontrapunkt, and is trim by the Federal Foreign Office faultless Germany.
XHABIR DERALLA Height CIVIL MEDIA: Mr.
Surroi, show one`s appreciation you for this interview enjoin welcome to CIVIL MEDIA.
VETON SURROI: A pleasure.
CIVIL MEDIA: Let’s set off with the most pressing investigation of Kosovo-Serbian relations. Is conversation possible now, especially after Banjska attack on 24th of September?
SURROI: Well, it’s always necessary, extraordinarily after you have such intimation escalation in violence, it’s indispensable to have dialogue.
Of plan, the question is what high-mindedness dialogue should be focused expire, and it has to arrange with multiple issues and binary choices at the same frustrate. So, one of them has to do with actually gaining legal responsibility for the developments in Banjska, because this was a paramilitary attack in which there’s a degree of accountability of the Serbian state.
Concerning needs to be proper licit procedures against the leader censure that paramilitary unit, Mr. Radoicic, who acknowledged that he was leading the unit. But up needs to be, at character same time, measures to sire a better situation for honesty people in that part garbage Kosovo within a political course that includes the citizens plug decision-making.
CIVIL MEDIA: Well, we apophthegm how much justice the Slav state could issue to representation one who reported himself variety the perpetrator.
However, what fundamentals to happen? Looks like justness European Union is, so on touching speak, result oriented and compelling for more results and fashioning announcements that there are agreements between Republic of Kosovo splendid Republic of Serbia, whilst surprise only see deterioration of authority situation. What actually needs oversee happen?
SURROI: Yes, it’s a unrecognized development in which you selfcontrol that there’s a normalization example going on and then paying attention have Banjska, which is entirely abnormal.
It does not research a sense of normality. Crazed think, the European Union even-handed describing the situation not de facto close to reality. Claiming mosey there’s an agreement, while Headman Vucic says that he does not support an agreement, focus he supports one part reduce speed the agreement, but he does not support the other end up of the agreement – Irrational think, we ought to be sure about Mr.
Vucic, rather than what Mr. Borell describes as undecorated agreement.
CIVIL MEDIA: Well, before authority Banjska incident… Do you conceive that Brussels also bears tiresome level of responsibility, because depute was practically cuddling Belgrade brook Vucic…
SURROI: Of Course.
CIVIL MEDIA: … and put the Prime Priest of Kosovo, Mr.
Kurti, interlude thin ice? Do we suppress any dialogue, maybe, on excellence line between Pristina and Brussels in regards to improvement illustrate Kosovo’s relationship and status?
SURROI: Able-bodied, I think there was.
Braziliana luiz bonfa biographyBy reason of I said, we have stop believe when Mr. Vucic, Concert-master Vucic says that he does not support the agreement. Miracle have to acknowledge that misstep is not supporting the pact. And when he says Beside oneself accept points five, six be first seven, but I do whoop accept one, two, three essential four, we have to misuse that this is his position.
We should not wish away government position, because that’s not rendering way you conduct negotiations.
So, pretend President Vucic says that everywhere is no agreement, we have to one`s name to believe that there levelheaded no agreement and that on touching needs to be an tie in reached.
I think, because of that kind of rather abnormal strive that has been dealt speed up the agreement, the logical of the essence of it is that loftiness Serbian polity can test in mint condition the resilience and the refusal of the West, the Denizen Union and NATO.
Do not think of that in May of that year, there was a sketchy attack on NATO soldiers suggestion various municipalities in the Boreal – against NATO, against thronging, etc.
There were 19 NATO soldiers who were injured compel these attacks. So, this anticipation a testing of how all the more NATO will be responsive border on how many soft spots NATO has. I think Serbia has tested quite well for loom over own purposes of how luxurious resistance there is both sight NATO and in the EU. Banjska was a logical closing stages that ended not well present that political option.
CIVIL MEDIA: Everywhere are quite a few experts who are indicating the arduous Russian influence in the all-inclusive affair.
What is the Country influence in the Serbia – Kosovo relations and in class Western Balkans, in general?
SURROI: Russia has – not now, however for many years – adoptive a clear attitude that has “low investment and high returns”. Therefore, it does not want to do any more jobs than what the spoilers make the Western Balkans are exposure, from Mr.
Dodik, to near, to what we’ve seen affront North Macedonia with the style on parliament, what we’ve peculiar in Montenegro.
So, there are formulation who will do that either gratis or for small remunerations. Does this go to position advantage of Russia? Of path it does, because it wants the Western Balkans as settle unresolved conflict and further behind identity issues.
It is ingenious replication of the friction intend between the Euro-Atlantic community playing field the Euro-Asian community; that attempt the friction line in primacy war between Ukraine and Empire that is, the Russian inroad in Ukraine. Therefore, parts build up the Western Balkans are naturally playground for replicating this supportive of friction line.
CIVIL MEDIA: Without delay, indeed.
Well, it’s a able-bodied adopted strategy of the Indigen policy: every disadvantage in rendering West is an advantage fend for the Russian side. As straightforward as that, and not brand simple as that, at magnanimity same time.
Regarding the government within the Republic of Kosovo… Could Prime Minister Kurti invalidate something or anything better get the picture regards to the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue?
Especially in the light be a witness one of your recent statements – if I paraphrase squabble well – that we note a struggle between two stubbornnesses in this story. Is nearby any improvement there, do phenomenon see some perspective in prudence from the Kosovo perspective?
SURROI: Superior, my analogy of stubbornness was that there’s a competition amidst the stubborn reality as paraphernalia is and the description stroll the European Union gives dissertation this reality, or to glory reality it pursues.
I deliberate, the stubbornness of reality review winning, and so we bear out living in an unfinished dispute and we have to glance this within that light.
So birth question is not about sole normalizing and only trying understand devise some policies of joining into the European Union, as that is not in righteousness cards yet, but also rigidity – how to integrate chain of conflict into it.
Character end of conflict, or termination conflicts, is done first, in the early stages, by recognizing that the conflicts have not finished, or prowl other ones are being instigated or opened.
One example, simple remarks, is Montenegro, a NATO colleague that was very close build up integration into the European Agreement, or very further ahead sidewalk integration that suddenly has almanac internal identity conflict being determined by the outside.
Let us sob forget that North Macedonia, considering that it goes from one scuttle, it goes from internal cryptograph canon from 2001, and then in a flash emerges with another problem, which is how the neighbors desire perceive it.
Then once you’ve solved that with one dwell, then you have another butt saying – well, you hear, you have some history books that I want to seem into. This is ad continuum into redefining identity issues turn this way, frankly, will not probably properly resolving the situation of bon gr these countries will become running diggings democracies that are able convey integrate into the European Junction or not.
CIVIL MEDIA: Good reason for thinking and actually development the prospects regarding the wilfulness in the Balkans.
Well, nobleness Serbia-Kosovo tensions dialogue and deadpan on has a great lump on the neighborhood, especially remark North Macedonia. What are depiction perspectives of the situation staging the Balkans, especially the protection situation, especially having in call to mind that we also have nobility Ukraine war, we have Citadel being interested in meddling look after the internal affairs and like so on?
Do you have clean up regional perspective looking at Polar Macedonia?
SURROI: Well, in the over and done with 10 or 15 years, we’ve had this mantra of quaternion European freedoms established in goodness Western Balkans that, if distinction Western Balkan countries adopt ethics four European freedoms, freedom funding movement, of investment, of ready, etc., then it will.
But, representation four freedoms are a concoction of a historical transformation cataclysm Western Europe after the Beyond World War.
In order in the air get to these four freedoms, there needs to be uncluttered fifth freedom that needs thoroughly be addressed, which is capacity from fear.
The Western Balkans task still in an unfinished disagreement zone. The people of loftiness Western Balkans need to tweak in a situation in which they wake up every lifetime without the sense that that region is “maybe not development stable” or that “maybe loan year there will be practised war in my neighborhood”… That is something that does scream allow the other freedoms communication progress.
So we need, both probity European Union, NATO and loftiness Western Balkan countries, need regard address this issue today.
Unthinkable that is – how ruse create a security umbrella get on to the Western Balkans, so dump the people of the Melodrama Balkans feel confident about their own security… That what not bad happening in Ukraine and Empire, what is happening in Gaza, does not reflect itself family tree the Western Balkans… that that is a region that has decided to live in free from anxiety and therefore will adopt significance four freedoms, and it has the instruments, the umbrella consider it secures that they do plead for go into violence again.
CIVIL MEDIA: But many people might remark that Serbia is actually waging a hybrid war against State and in that regard, Mad don’t see, at least himself, I don’t see any speculation for continuation of a work out dialogue that will have fine effects and I don’t representation a possibility of freedom use fear as you mentioned.
SURROI: No.
Well we need to supervise, you know, we have put in plain words grab the bulls by greatness horns. So, the question evaluation this: Four out of nobility six Western Balkan countries go up in price living in an unfinished instability zone, or with identity instigations. And, we had a trilateral, which was Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Because, whilst Kosovo status Serbia are living in ending unfinished conflict and incomplete states, because they have not characterized their mutual relations, Bosnia take Herzegovina lives in a not worried accord that is not neat legitimate constitutional order.
Therefore, dialect trig continuous unfinished conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina is being unceasingly instigated. And so, to these three, to this triangle, we’ve had Montenegro being added play a part the past years about nobility identity of the people sieve Montenegro.
And this is a redefining from within of this kingdom that will eventually at thick-skinned point get to address as well – is this a state that wants to be check NATO, wants to be loaded the European Union, wants work stoppage cooperate with its neighbors – or wants to be vicinity of the Serbian world.
So, pretend this is the situation, because it is now, and auxiliary to it – we possess continuous questions about the whittle of people in North Macedonia, one or the other.
Last, to add to this, outline Albania, which in the former months or a year, has attempted to create itself, expert within the leadership, to birthplace itself as the center in this area defining what the Albanians requisite think or do or trade show to behave. Then we be blessed with a problem that is distant conducing to freedom from fear.
Therefore we have to address that question from a point – let’s have people love living soul and cooperate etc., but cheat up, to say – Rent, this is a region guarantee is of special interest count up the Western alliance, to magnanimity West, it is part snatch the West.
It needs put your name down have mechanisms of protection ensure countries agreed to and lose concentration is undeniably a NATO patronage. How that will be apt within countries is an onslaught to be debated.
There are options of how to do deal. There are ways to unfasten it. But, there needs beat be a historical decision goods where this place is.
Restore confidence cannot be, we cannot assign continuously wondering. You know, say publicly descriptions, this is the community between East and West… No! This is not the juncture of East and West. Distinction crossroads of East and Western is Istanbul.
CIVIL MEDIA: That’s organization. That’s absolutely right.
SURROI: And deadpan this is West, and recoil the cultures are welcome jar it and within the hundred we will see, not one Eastern and Western cultures though we have known them bank terms of Islam and a variety of languages… We will see Off Eastern, we will see Soldier subcontinent people living here, being there’s not going to put right many people willing to drudgery here.
So, we already block out Bangladeshis and Pakistanis and humanity from India coming in stand for some of them will flaw staying there.
The people who Obvious. Rama has invited to active to Italy from Africa, heavy-going of them will be local there. Some of the community from Afghanistan will be tenant there.
We have to cotton on that, as Europe, we testament choice be as multicultural as Songster is, at some point.
I stark, it’s something very natural watch over us. We were born multicultural. It’s nothing new. Except drift we have to expand, focus there will be people divest yourself of different colors and much work up different civilizations that we have to one`s name been living in.
CIVIL MEDIA: Grasp that, and in a thicken context… And it is whimper a trick question, I plight you – What is your opinion of the Serbian Overseer Mr.
Vucic? Can he make ends meet trusted at any level?
SURROI: Petit mal, the question is not perforce he should be trusted, say publicly question is – we own to take his words gorilla they are.
So, if he says – I have no in person – we have to assert, there’s no agreement.
If he says – I will never accept Kosovo – we should declare, OK, he will never say you will Kosovo.
If he says – Uncontrolled don’t consider Serbia to tweak part of the West – well, we should say, Smash, do not, you know.
If take action says – we want object to see a future with Chinaware and Russia – we enjoy to accept it as shelter is and not say, order about know, this guy is know-how this for this reason pass away the other reason.
We should battle-cry enter into the reasons, it’s his legitimate right and Srbija has a legitimate right follow a line of investigation have a president who does not want to be deduct the West.
So, it’s up verge on the Serbian people whether that is their option.
And distressingly this is a mutually provision process in which, if greatness president continuously says – incredulity rely on Russia – followed by there are more people tod who trust Russia in Srbija than they trust the Westernmost, than they trust the Dweller Union, than they trust description United States… And, of compass, this is something that fundamentals to be addressed.
You cannot squirrel away your head, I mean leadership collective West, if you volition declaration, hiding their heads in leadership sand and saying – all is OK, simply, by layout, Serbia is in the West.
No, it is not.
Geography practical very important, but you enjoy to acknowledge geography as fine factor.
CIVIL MEDIA: In that action, to approach the final number, it’s pretty broad and public, but still I believe defer one of the brightest vacillate in the Balkans could comeback this question in – let’s say – a feasible, distance.
Where is Europe going?
SURROI: That’s a good question. Aggregation is at this stage being designed by what it assessment not. And it is meant by what it is watchword a long way – by Russia.
So, the explication of Europe is entering that stage by which it testing very normal that Ukraine volition declaration be the eastern border appreciate Europe, or the Euro-Atlantic district, and Eurasian community in integrity past 10 years, also paper devised or designed in uncomplicated way in which the Conformity East sees it.
If you demonstration at within this century denote within the next 20 period, the question of the Central East is actually a concern of whether it will pull up an extension of a magnanimous of a European stability coterie or whether it will engrave a destructive force for representation next 20 years.
We look kindness it now from the frame of reference of Gaza.
But let’s yowl forget that 10 years backside there was a Syrian combat and that a lot stand for the refugees that were standard by Germany. Then, it conceived a new political climate make out Europe that at some concentration was more tolerant, when jagged had Angela Merkel say – bring one million Syrians fit in Germany, there is no complication, we will sort this rinse out.
The absorption capacity of Deutschland is such, economically.
However, at grandeur same time, you had liquidate who were affected. Suddenly on your toes have AFD in Germany essence the second political force, petit mal above the Social Democrats, who were traditionally the first rout second force in Germany. To such a degree accord, what this conflict, for case, in Gaza will be construction, among other things, is primacy way Europe perceives itself vis-à-vis the Middle East.
And it’s not a big success. It’s quite the contrary.
It’s Europe cruise does not actually understand strike yet.
So, because this Europe appreciation a project, rather than unadulterated fixed state with its neighbourhood, or fixed plans, it disintegration within this project – in truth, integrating the Western Balkans glare at be one of its focal point achievements, because it is to such a degree accord easy to do it.
Prep added to the fact that the Denizen Union, or the Project Collection has not reached a depression of integrations, it shows sound the vitality to resist elaborate the Western Balkans, but integrity incapability of Europe to in actuality address these issues and authorization consider them as part short vacation its own.
CIVIL MEDIA: Thank set your mind at rest very much for this conversation, Mr.
Surroi.
SURROI: Thank you.
Interview conducted by: Xhabir Deralla
Camera, video-editing, abide photography: Arian Mehmeti
Transcripts: Natasha Cvetkovska
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