By Ljubica Gojgić
DIALOGUE
The most promising news for me was that everyone was willing and able to sit around the same table; to sit in the same room for two days and discuss some of these difficult issues
T
he European Parliament will spend the summer in a working atmosphere, because by September it should have prepared the document intended to serve as the basis for the continuation of Serbia’s interparty dialogue on election conditions, confirms Vladimir Bilčik, a member of the European Parliament delegation tasked with moderating this process, speaking in this interview for CorD Magazine. Bilčik is of the opinion that the resumption of this dialogue should focus on issues that are able to be resolved, rather than expectations of revolutionary change. He says that he still doesn’t understand proposals to boycott elections in the case that a compromise cannot be reached. “This is the agreement that we reached during a meeting in Belgrade earlier this summer. We proposed to move forward and prepare for our meeting in Belgrade on 17th and 18th September. We will have collected all possible feedback from the participants in this dialogue by the end of July, and on the basis of that we will draft a paper that we will present during discussions in early September. This should serve as the basis for that dialogue in Belgrade. That paper is not intended to come up with solutions, rather it is meant to identify the key issues and the key stakes, and key possible ways of moving forward. But, as we’ve always said, our role as facilitators is to create space for Serbian politicians to have a genuine dialogue on difficult, divisive issues that have to be discussed regardless of whatever we believe. Dialogue is the only way we can address these issues and find solutions for these numerous questions, especially in the run up to the next elections. So, indeed, we have been working and will continue to work throughout the summer, and we will be ready to have an engaging debate in early September, which I hope can bring us to a constructive meeting on 17th and 18th September. Last month, when the interparty political dialogue finally resumed, you said the session was fruitful and constructive. Do you believe there is enough time and willingness to improve the political situation and create the atmosphere required for free and fair elections by next spring?
ELECTIONS
The “must do list” is in the hands of Serbian politicians. We just create space for the dialogue. A “must” would be that everyone must be willing to participate in the next elections Due to the pandemic, the mission to Belgrade was actually the first mission that the European Parliament authorised as an external mission, beyond the borders of the EU. I think this only underlines how important this interparty dialogue is to us at the European Parliament and EU institutions. We have previously been very engaged online, because we launched the second phase of the dialogue in the March online meeting with Ivica Dačić. We had more than 20 different meetings with interlocutors and bilateral meetings in the run up to our session in Belgrade. So, I think that our session was wellprepared, while the most promising news for me was that everyone was willing and able to sit around the same table; to sit in the same room for two days and discuss some of these difficult issues. When I say ‘everyone’ I mean the major political parties with representatives in the Parliament, as well as political forces that decided not to participate in the last parliamentary elections. For us, as mediators, this very fact was an important indication that there is a serious engagement and serious willingness to take part in this interparty dialogue. I do believe that there is enough space and time to continue this dialogue and to reach a meaningful agreement that would lead to free and fair elections in Serbia. I hope that we will have a clearer picture in September, in terms of what should and could be done. I hope that all the political actors will continue their constructive engagement in this process. In that respect, what do you think should be on a “must do” list for securing free and fair elections?
The “must do list” is in the hands of Serbian politicians. We just create space for the dialogue. A “must” would be that everyone must be willing to participate in the next elections. It is important for these elections to be as representative as they can possibly be. It is also clear that there are a number of issues that weren’t resolved to the satisfaction of everyone in the first phase of the interparty dialogue and that we need to address in this phase. They concern the situation in the media, particularly with regard to the public broadcaster and access to the
KEY ISSUES
We are very much aware of the situation when it comes to public broadcasters, which is one of the key issues when it comes to the interparty dialogue
media for political acters. I think this is important. It is also important to look at ways to enable good-quality political competition. And, of course, it is important that voting on election day is itself free and fair. I also hope we can have international observers on the ground, including the mission from the European Parliament, to help create an atmosphere of greater trust in the process. At our next meeting, we will be discussing the implementation of a number of electoral regulations – both those that already exist
We are here to really help create space for a genuine discussion, genuine debate, and this is our interest. We are certainly not taking part in any domestic political games and those waiting to be adopted – in order to elevate general trust in the institutions of public life among all political actors. Some opposition leaders disagree with your views on the current political situation in Serbia calling it too positive vis-à-vis the government. What forms the basis of your assessment that there is “good faith” to implement the necessary political reforms within the ruling coalition?
Parliament Speaker Ivica Dačić played a good, constructive role in the run up to the July meeting, and also during the two days of the meeting. He was very heavily engaged and very much present. I think this also sent important signals and signs that the dialogue is being taken seriously by everyone in Serbia. It also became very clear that this dialogue is an important aspect of overall progress when it comes to Serbia’s European path. We made that very clear in the last EP report, which was adopted with a majority of our
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