Zdravko Ponoš We have nothing to hope for while Vučić is in power Politics Dnevni List Danas

There is every possibility that it will not be possible to prolong the signing of a document on Kosovo, which will probably be signed by someone else on Vučić's behalf, Ponoš predicted in the Kvaka 23 series From the moment it is signed, he explained in a conversation with Zoran Sekulić, probably it will take some time to "reach the mood of public opinion and only then can elections be held".

Vučić would interpret those elections as support for his policy and a kind of substitute for the referendum, since he must not go to the referendum, Ponoš said He does not believe that the elections will be held before the spring of next year, maybe even later, but he expects that Vučić will try to reduce the SPS "actions" in the meantime.

Ponoš thinks that Vučić was not so much annoyed by the recent parliamentary debate on Kosovo as he was "disappointed" by Aljbin Kurti, whom he expected to reject the German-French proposal because that would allow him to buy some more time.

I'm not going to say that Kurti overplayed him, probably he was also pressured to accept that proposal in principle, but it led "ours" to an "unreasonable state", pointed out Ponoš and assessed that Vučić's "picture" on Instagram, which what followed after that, "was quite unhealthy for him, and harmful for the state" Asked whether, in case he had won the previous presidential elections, he would have accepted the German-French proposal, he replied that it was not a "paper" that could be accepted as it is, but if he did not believe it, it would not have been put on the table.

that things in Serbia fundamentally changed in April last year If an identical "paper" had arrived, I would not have accepted it in that form, but with the partners who are involved in unraveling the Kosovo problem, it is not possible to act according to the principle "we reject it in its entirety", as suggested by some right-wing organizations or parties, emphasized Ponoš.

That would also be irresponsible, it cannot be done that way, he reasoned and added that the proposed document should be discussed, that there are "very good elements" in it, but that point 4, which states that Serbia will not oppose Kosovo's entry into international organizations "There should certainly be something quite the opposite, which is that the agreement implies that Kosovo will not apply for membership in the United Nations," Ponoš presented.

As he said, the main purpose of this agreement is that those in Europe who did not recognize Kosovo's independence can interpret it as "Serbian acceptance of Kosovo's statehood" and justification to accept it themselves According to his words, then the next step would be Kosovo's entry into the Partnership for Peace, probably as early as next year, and very soon into NATO, while membership in the UN would follow a little later, because it cannot be decided without Russia and China.

Asked if Serbia can reject the German-French proposal, Ponoš replied that there is no solution if Serbia does not accept it, and stated that Vučić is in a problem because he knows how he came to power and that he can be shaken in the same way from the outside, because "he agreed with them".

If, however, the proposal is based on the principle of "take it or leave it", then neither take it nor leave it, but let's work on it, said the president of the Heart movement, who thinks that it is not an ultimatum at work, but political pressure on Serbia First of all, as far as stopping the european integration process is concerned, it has already been stopped by the will of this government, although in large part due to the situation in Brussels, it is crucial that "this government does not lead Serbia in that direction", emphasized Ponoš.

When it comes to foreign investments, he does not believe that existing investments are threatened, "primarily because they were made in special arrangements with this government " "I would even say that those investments and those investors are protecting Vučić and this kind of government, because nowhere would they be able to make such arrangements with a solid level of corruption," Ponoš is convinced.

"Now, as far as Schengen and such things are concerned, it is of course a very credible threat, but it has not been announced yet," he noted and interpreted that "at this moment we have a perfect storm that the Western world needs to calm down and consolidate the situation in the region as would crowd out the Russian interest" "Vučić is ready to do it, and this means that the state of democracy and human rights in Serbia will be completely secondary to them, because it is not their priority," warned Ponoš.

When asked about the Russian ambassador's statement that the Kosovo problem should be solved in the new geopolitical reality, after the war in Ukraine, in which, as he is convinced, Russia will win, Ponoš noted that "Kosovo's actions in the UN are not held by Serbia, but by Moscow" As he specified, "Moscow can bargain with that, because it can miss or stop Kosovo's entry into the UN".

"He will probably do that and satisfy some of his interests, depending on how the Ukrainian war unravels," estimated Ponoš and said that "we should not count on someone else to guard our heads " Asked about the graffiti announcing protests on February 15 regarding the proposal on Kosovo that was offered to Belgrade and Pristina, he said that in such situations one should be careful who organizes them, because it would not be the first time that the government "sets counterfire to prevent a real fire".

Ponoš thinks that this time, however, it is organized by people who are not under the control of the government, which must make her nervous, because she has a problem with the right wing, which she does not control As he assessed, they would most like to have a constructive left, while on the right there would be actors controlled by Vučić, "with whom he can agree on how much he will make a fuss and make a fuss in the Parliament, and then possibly drink some wine".

Asked about sanctions against Russia, he recalled that at the beginning of the Ukrainian war he was against sanctions, "guided by our experience", but that later the level of suffering became enormous and unacceptable, which is why he suggested that Serbia should introduce some "milder form of sanctions".

Now it does not seem that it is just around the corner, which is harmful for Serbia in the long term, but it is more important for the West that Vučić implements the agreement on Kosovo, which he is also aware of and can ask not to be pressured, because he does not need another burden on back, bearing in mind the opposition of the pro-Russian electorate, Ponoš said.

When asked whether the pro-European opposition, which cannot impose itself as a credible alternative and interlocutor, is also responsible for the West's strategic patience towards Vučić, he admitted that "the opposition is also to blame", but also that "it should be borne in mind that the opposition in Serbia operates in completely abnormal conditions" Where else in Europe do you have this state of the media? "Where else do you have a situation where a national parliament is being "written" on the front page of a tabloid, Ponoš asked.

Nowhere in Europe is there such an unfavorable environment for the opposition as it is in Serbia he pointed out, but emphasized that even in that abnormal situation there are fantastic performances by opposition members in the parliament and that there is room for cooperation with them.

Referring to the 100 days of the Government of Serbia, Ponoš said that it is "nothing but another 100 days of Vučić's rule" and that he does not know what the decent world, like Tanja Miščević, is doing in the Government, because they do not decide on anything, they are like "flowerpots" As he predicted, it is not the government that will leave a deeper mark, because it was completely disavowed and replaced by the president.

"They are now trying to do that with the Parliament and make a mockery of it Essentially, we don't have parliamentary democracy, but Vučić's parliamentary ass," said Ponoš and noted that he did not call on the opposition to boycott the Assembly.

As he explained, it was not interpreted in the best way, "I didn't say boycott, nor did he call for people to lose their mandates and completely leave the Assembly", but to obstruct its work, especially the plenary sessions, which have now been brought to the point of absurdity Everything starts and ends here with Vučić.

We have nothing to hope for while he is in power, Ponoš concluded .