Serbia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić has stated that the extradition of the former vice president of the Serb List, Milan Radojičić, to Kosovo is impossible.
“All legal processes will take place before local courts,” he expressed.
Dačić made this statement during an interview with the Beta agency on December 13, commenting on the INTERPOL arrest warrant issued for Radojičić due to the armed attack in Banjska, Zvecan municipality, Kosovo.
INTERPOL issued an arrest order for Radojičić a few days ago due to the armed attack in Banjska, north Kosovo, where a group of armed Serbs attacked the Kosovo Police, resulting in the death of officer Afrim Bunjaku. Three Serbian attackers were killed in the exchange of fire.
Radojičić took responsibility for the attack in Banjska, claiming that he “personally” organized the attack and all logistical preparations but did not inform anyone about those plans.
Kosovo accused Serbia of being behind the attack, a claim that Belgrade officially denies.
“No discussion about the Franco-German plan without the Association”
The Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs also stated that “there will be no discussion about the implementation of the Franco-German plan” until the Association of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo is formed.
Dačić said he hopes the Franco-German plan will not become part of the negotiations in Chapter 35 with the European Union.
“We hope it does not come to this because it contradicts the views of countries that do not recognize Kosovo. If the Franco-German plan becomes part of Chapter 35 negotiations, it will make the negotiations with the EU much more difficult,” he said.
Chapter 35 of the accession negotiations between Serbia and the European Union includes relations with Kosovo.
In the pending draft awaiting approval, it is stated that the EU will call on the European Commission to change the criteria for Chapter 35 in accession negotiations with Serbia no later than January 2024, implying the inclusion of obligations from the agreement on the path to the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo in the negotiating framework for Serbia.
This agreement was reached by the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo on February 27 in Brussels, and the implementation annex was agreed on March 18 in Ohrid.
The document is also known as the Franco-German plan.
Dačić said that Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić “has not given approval for parts that may be interpreted as de facto or de jure recognition of Kosovo”.
“We never accepted the Ohrid Agreement in its entirety. President Vučić said that first, the Association must be formed, and then we can discuss everything,” he emphasized.
The Ohrid Agreement stipulates that Serbia recognizes the state symbols of Kosovo, does not oppose Kosovo’s membership in international organizations, and the parties respect each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
The EU regularly warns that the speed of Serbia’s accession process will depend on progress in the dialogue to normalize relations with Kosovo.
