Serbian-Albanian ties to be improved for Balkan stability

BELGRADE - The key to stability in the Western Balkans is to promote Serbian-Albanian relations, and stability has been reached in Kosovo-Metohija, it was stated on Friday at a conference dubbed "Safety aspects of normalization of relations between Belgrade, Pristina and Tirana", which saw the presentation of the report on the integration of police in north Kosovo.

"We believe that Belgrade, Pristina and Tirana can do the same Serbia and Croatia did on improving relations after the breakup of Yugoslavia," said Sonja Stojanovic Gajic, director of the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy.

She said that it is very important that a large majority in Serbia have supported the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.
The political elites in Belgrade, Pristina and Tirana have changed, and the party, which has come into power in Albania, has implied that it will pursue a new policy towards the region, she said.

Florijan Cehaja, executive director of the Kosovo Centre for Security Studies in Pristina, said that the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is supported by 47 percent of Albanians and 45 percent of Serbs, adding that this means that both sides support the political elites in this respect.

However, the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina has not fully addressed the requirements of the Albanian and Serb locals, he underlined.

It is important that we have achieved stability, said Cehaja, adding that economic uncertainty is the greatest challenge in Kosovo, as well as protests that could turn into huge riots.

Wahhabi movement and those who have gone to fight in the Middle East, are also a reason to worry about, he said.
The report, which was presented at the conference, reads that...

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