Tadić: Citizens want EU membership

President Boris Tadic says that Serbia’s citizens want the country to become a European Union member. He was speaking for B92 TV when also said that EU integration and Kosovo’s status are two separate processes. Tadic: Citizens want EU membership Tadic, who is running for his second term in office in the January 20 election, added that there are "no differences in the stances of Serbian politicians as far as Kosovo is concerned." The incumbent president said that the European path of Serbia and the Kosovo status are two separate questions, "even though some Serbian politicians are trying to link them." "Maybe some politicians do not want us to join the European Union, but surveys show that the citizens want that path," Tadic said. “An impression is being created that we do not want a European mission in Kosovo. It is not about whether there are Slovak or Spanish soldiers under the command of KFOR as opposed to a European command. It is about a violation of the elements of European law,” Tadic said. He said that every mission that arrives in Kosovo must have a basis for doing so approved by the United Nations. “We are defending that. We are asking Europe to respect those rules,” Tadic said. He said that he does not have a different opinion on this issue than any other Serbian politicians. “The Kosovo status question has nothing to do with our European integrations. If someone tries to make this kind of condition, they are causing damage to our citizens and the future of our country, even to our capacities for defending Kosovo,” Tadic said. Boris Tadic (FoNet, archive)

Tadić: Citizens want EU membership

Tadić, who is running for his second term in office in the January 20 election, added that there are "no differences in the stances of Serbian politicians as far as Kosovo is concerned."

The incumbent president said that the European path of Serbia and the Kosovo status are two separate questions, "even though some Serbian politicians are trying to link them."

"Maybe some politicians do not want us to join the European Union, but surveys show that the citizens want that path," Tadić said.

“An impression is being created that we do not want a European mission in Kosovo. It is not about whether there are Slovak or Spanish soldiers under the command of KFOR as opposed to a European command. It is about a violation of the elements of European law,” Tadić said.

He said that every mission that arrives in Kosovo must have a basis for doing so approved by the United Nations.

“We are defending that. We are asking Europe to respect those rules,” Tadić said.

He said that he does not have a different opinion on this issue than any other Serbian politicians.

“The Kosovo status question has nothing to do with our European integrations. If someone tries to make this kind of condition, they are causing damage to our citizens and the future of our country, even to our capacities for defending Kosovo,” Tadić said.