"Russia concerned about energy deal"

Trade and Services Minister Predrag Bubalo says Russia is very worried “because Serbia has not ratified the international energy deal.” “The protocol with Russia has been signed. In order to honor it, on Thursday, we will submit to the government a proposal for ratification of the energy agreement. That way, we will endeavor to ratify what’s in the protocol by May 11,” Bubalo told daily Vecernje Novosti. "Russia concerned about energy deal" According to the minister, Russia had kept its side of the bargain and ratified the agreement, even though it meant much more to Serbia than Russia. Asked why Russia was wanting the deal ratified right before the Serbian elections, Bubalo replied: “Because, if the agreement is not ratified by May 11, there is the threat of longer postponement until the formation of the new parliament and government.” In response to the journalist’s observation that President Boris Tadic had already agreed with Russian Minister for Emergency Situations Sergei Shoigu that the agreement would be ratified after the elections, he replied that he didn’t “know what the president agreed about,“ but that it was “a fact that after their meeting, Shoigu signed a protocol with me that reads, verbatim: the two governments will endeavor to ratify the energy agreement by May 11 this year, which means, before the Serbian parliamentary elections.“ The minister, who on Friday signed a protocol on economic, trade and scientific-technical cooperation between the two countries, when asked if Shoigu had said that he was concerned about ratification of the agreement, replied that the Russian minister had come to Serbia at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s behest. “He frankly expressed his serious concern that the agreement hadn’t been ratified, conveying Moscow’s official views,“ he said. Asked whether he would submit the ratification proposal on Thursday, even if it does not receive the backing of his former government partners, Bubalo replied that “Serbia has to show that it is a serious state.“ “Russia fears that the matter will disappear from the agenda over the course of several months, given the political situation in the country. Can anyone guarantee that there won’t be a new cycle of elections in Serbia, that a new government will quickly be formed?“ the minister pointed out. He said that Russia had had bad experiences with a neighboring country, where a similar agreement had been waiting five years to be ratified. Bubalo said that that the point was that “we are stalling without any justification or need, and it’s hard to predict how long that delay will last.“ In response to the journalist’s observation that the Democratic Party (DS) was claiming that the agreement had already begun to be applied, the minister said that “the agreement cannot be applied in its entirety, as many contracts that it encompasses can be concluded only after ratification.“ Predrag Bubalo, right (FoNet)

"Russia concerned about energy deal"

According to the minister, Russia had kept its side of the bargain and ratified the agreement, even though it meant much more to Serbia than Russia.

Asked why Russia was wanting the deal ratified right before the Serbian elections, Bubalo replied: “Because, if the agreement is not ratified by May 11, there is the threat of longer postponement until the formation of the new parliament and government.”

In response to the journalist’s observation that President Boris Tadić had already agreed with Russian Minister for Emergency Situations Sergei Shoigu that the agreement would be ratified after the elections, he replied that he didn’t “know what the president agreed about,“ but that it was “a fact that after their meeting, Shoigu signed a protocol with me that reads, verbatim: the two governments will endeavor to ratify the energy agreement by May 11 this year, which means, before the Serbian parliamentary elections.“

The minister, who on Friday signed a protocol on economic, trade and scientific-technical cooperation between the two countries, when asked if Shoigu had said that he was concerned about ratification of the agreement, replied that the Russian minister had come to Serbia at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s behest.

“He frankly expressed his serious concern that the agreement hadn’t been ratified, conveying Moscow’s official views,“ he said.

Asked whether he would submit the ratification proposal on Thursday, even if it does not receive the backing of his former government partners, Bubalo replied that “Serbia has to show that it is a serious state.“

“Russia fears that the matter will disappear from the agenda over the course of several months, given the political situation in the country. Can anyone guarantee that there won’t be a new cycle of elections in Serbia, that a new government will quickly be formed?“ the minister pointed out.

He said that Russia had had bad experiences with a neighboring country, where a similar agreement had been waiting five years to be ratified.

Bubalo said that that the point was that “we are stalling without any justification or need, and it’s hard to predict how long that delay will last.“

In response to the journalist’s observation that the Democratic Party (DS) was claiming that the agreement had already begun to be applied, the minister said that “the agreement cannot be applied in its entirety, as many contracts that it encompasses can be concluded only after ratification.“