Organised by the Youth Dialogue Programme, from 12th to 14th of December 2008 in Ečka, regional conference “Perspectives of Serbian – Albanian relations and Position of Minorities in Kosovo” took place. The conference gathered around thirty participants from Serbia and Kosovo. Themes that were addressed by the project were: “Initiative for normalisation of Serbian – Albanian relations: the role of youth in the process of reconciliation”. Speaker Mr Vuk Mitrović from the Independent Student Union of the University in Kosovska Mitrovica and Mr Aleksandar Stojanović, programme director for Kosovo – the Youth Dialogue Programme, tried, through their introductions, to give a clearer perspective of the situation of students at the University of Kosovska Mitrovica, as well as the position of minority communities and return of refugees in Kosovo. The second topic that was addressed during the conference was “Position of minority communities in Kosovo”. Speaker covering this topic was Mr Dragiša Krstović, former member of the delegate group „Povratak“ in Kosovo Assembly. The next topic at the conference was “The role of media and interethnic intolerance in the region”. This topic was elaborated by Mr Omer Karabeg, journalist at Radio Free Europe from Prague and editor of the programme „The Bridge“, broadcasted at this station. As one of the most eminent journalists and media expert, Mr Karabeg endeavoured to present to the participants the ways in which media can, in a destructive manner, influence interethnic intolerance. Mr Karabeg elaborated his presentation through the examples of media coverage during conflicts in former Yugoslavia, as well as during the conflict in Kosovo in 1999.

The next panel covered the topic „Perspectives of Serbian – Albanian Relations“, with the speakers: Ms Jelena Milić from the Centre for Euro-Atlantic Studies and Mr Ranđel Nojkić, analyst from Kosovo and a former representative in Kosovo Assembly.

The last topic that was covered by the conference was “European Integration of Serbia and Copenhagen criteria”. Speaker covering this subject was Professor Vladimir Pavičević from the Faculty of Political Science in Belgrade. Mr Pavičević presented further steps of Serbia on the road to European integrations within the context of Copenhagen criteria. During the discussion, participants of the conference expressed special interest for certain parts of the Copenhagen document, i.e. whether Serbia in its path towards EU integrations will be obliged to recognise the independence of Kosovo in order to become a full member of the European Union. One of the conclusions of this panel discussion was that Serbia can not count on being accepted in the EU before 2017/2018. In order to get to this conclusion, further elements were taken into consideration: administrative capacities of Serbia, inner questions of the EU – Lisbon Agreement, budget of the EU, European Parliamentary elections, but also cooperation of Serbia with Hague tribunal, i.e. arrest of two remaining fugitives, Ratko Mladić i Goran Hadžić.

In addition to the panels, participants were taking part in the discussion that encompassed following subjects: interethnic intolerance among youth and rise of fascistic and rightwing movements; cooperation between students from the Universities in Serbia and in Kosovo; issue of UNMIK travel documents, i.e. is there a way to avoid problems which will be created by issuing passports of Kosovo that Serbian Government is not going to recognise at least in the nearer future; question of founding second RTK programme that would be broadcasted in the minority language; issue of return of refugees and IDPs; capacity building of minority organisations in Kosovo etc.

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