On February 23, 2010, the Center for Democracy and Development of South Serbia and the “JUGpress” regional information agency organized a meeting “Kosovo is on the other side – How to Go on after the Conflict”. The major topic discussed in the meeting was the importance of participation of minority communities in the institutions and the exercising of their rights in the region. Speakers at the meeting included Minister Milan Markovic, President of the Coordination Body of the Government of the Republic of Serbia for the Municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja, Stephen Wordsworth, the British ambassador to Serbia, Dimitrios Kypreos, and Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Ms. Deborah Mennuti, Political Chief at the US embassy in Belgrade. Also participating in the meeting were local politicians from Bujanovac, who included Mr. Saip Kamberi, President of the Municipality of Bujanovac, Mr. Jonuz Musliju, President of the Bujanovac Municipal Assembly and representatives of the Serbian political organizations.

Milan Markovic, President of the Coordination Body, pointed out at the meeting that the Serbian government’s policy was well-known and that there was willingness to direct all relevant players to the future.  According to Minister Markovic, the Coordination Body’s priorities are the young people of these municipalities.  “Things are going off slower than we wish, but we are truly working on building up full trust, as well as on integrations and the respect of rights for all citizens. I refuse to agree that these things are impossible to achieve”. Minister Markovic asked for patience and underlined that nothing could be achieved overnight. “If we continue working together, life in Bujanovac would, in a few year’s time, turn into what we imagine it should be”, said President of the Coordination Body. “Our ideas are to improve education, open faculties, integrate Albanians into Republican institutions and Serbs into local ones and improve the economic situation. These two integration processes are indispensably linked and they’ll contribute to stability. Our moves must be careful and no one need put his or her partner into an awkward position”. Minister Markovic reiterated that it was very important for Albanians to elect their National Council, after which he thanked the international community for the support it constantly provided.

In his speech, Stephen Wordsworth, the British ambassador to Serbia, pointed out that a great progress had been made over the previous few years, primarily in the field of infrastructure, and added that one of the major successes was the opening of the Medvedja faculty. The ambassador commended the Serbian government for being more involved than in 2006. „The new government has made a considerable and significant progress in South Serbia. That doesn’t mean that issues have been fully solved. We must be patient, event though we know that people are looking for work and expect prosperity”, said Mr. Wordsworth, who, like Minister Markovic, pointed out that full political stability was of vital importance. “The establishment of the National  Council is a very important step forward. We would like as many citizens as possible to take part in the process of establishment of the National Council, to register themselves and to vote. If the National Council is to operate well, then it must have full public support. Some people say that the National Council isn’t a good solution.  This isn’t important now, since the process has begun and it’s important to set up the council”, said the British ambassador.

Dimitrios Kyproes, Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, was also of the opinion that some progress had been made in South Serbia and he also underscored the solving of the issue with TV Presevo, the opening of the Medvedja faculty and the feasibility study for opening institutions of higher learning in Presevo and Bujanovac. Like the previous speakers, Mr. Kypreos called on establishment of the Albanian National Council, while the same was done by Ms. Deborah Mennuti, Political Chief of the US embassy. „This institution is important for your children, for it will solve problems in the fields of information, official use of  the language and script, culture, education and the like. This is a chance for mothers and fathers to help their children”, said Ms. Mennuti, stressing that establishment of the National Council was one more proof of political maturity and stability in the region. „The fact that the National Council has been  established will have a great impact on economic development, since stability is going to attract investors”, Ms. Mennuti said.

This was a fifth meeting, which is traditionally organized by JUGpress.