"Serbia recognizing Kosovo is EU's condition"

Interior Minister and Deputy PM Ivica Dacic says that Serbia will likely not make significant progress in March toward becoming a candidate for EU membership. The reason for this, he said on Tuesday in Belgrade, is because the condition for candidate status to be granted to Serbia is "to recognize Kosovo's independence". "Serbia recognizing Kosovo is EU's condition" "Let's not lie to each other any longer and let's not tell fairy-tales. That's what's required," Dacic told reporters after a security conference held in the Serbian capital. The province's ethnic Albanians nearly four years ago unilaterally declared independence, but Serbia rejected that proclamation. Now Dacic, who also heads the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), says that "Serbian President Boris Tadic could have gotten the candidature only if he accepted for Kosovo not to be represented in regional gatherings in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1244". Regardless of the fact the EU last week did not make Serbia a candidate for membership, Dacic commended Tadic for not agreeing to that condition. Dacic went on to accuse the international community of "betraying the expectations of the (Serbian) citizens", and appraised that in 2000, "all they were asked to do was to get rid of Slobodan Milosevic, while nobody mentioned Kosovo's independence": "Back then, nobody mentioned the issue of an independent Kosovo. 11 years later, we can't even be a candidate (for EU membership). Who are we supposed to sack, or send to the Hague (Tribunal) now?" It is not fair, he complained, for Serbia not to be made a candidate - "after all it did". In this context, the minister added that Serbia "removed Slobodan Milosevic from power, finalized cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, adopted the Statue of Vojvdina, the Resolution on Srebrenica and apologized to all surrounding nations". "If the EU does not wish any further enlargement, they should say so," Dacic stated, and concluded that while he was in favor of continued EU integrations, he also supported the preservation of Serbia's national interests, and of the country's dignity. Ivica Dacic (Tanjug) "Not true" Vice President of Vuk Draskovic's Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) Aleksandar Cotric believes that Ivica Dacic's statement is not true. Cotric said in a written statement that the European Council unequivocally announced on December 9 what conditions lie ahead of Serbia, and that among them there is no recognition of independence of Kosovo. According to Cotric, Serbia is expected to implement agreements reached with Pristina, including the agreements on administrative crossings, regional cooperation and representation of Kosovo, as well as cooperation with EULEX and KFOR to enable them to exercise their mandate. If some ministers and parties in the Serbian government do not want Serbia to join the EU or are unable to achieve this goal, then they should make their views clear, rather than seek excuses and hide the truth from the citizens of Serbia, Cotric said.

"Serbia recognizing Kosovo is EU's condition"

"Let's not lie to each other any longer and let's not tell fairy-tales. That's what's required," Dačić told reporters after a security conference held in the Serbian capital.

The province's ethnic Albanians nearly four years ago unilaterally declared independence, but Serbia rejected that proclamation.

Now Dačić, who also heads the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), says that "Serbian President Boris Tadić could have gotten the candidature only if he accepted for Kosovo not to be represented in regional gatherings in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1244".

Regardless of the fact the EU last week did not make Serbia a candidate for membership, Dačić commended Tadić for not agreeing to that condition.

Dačić went on to accuse the international community of "betraying the expectations of the (Serbian) citizens", and appraised that in 2000, "all they were asked to do was to get rid of Slobodan Milošević, while nobody mentioned Kosovo's independence":

"Back then, nobody mentioned the issue of an independent Kosovo. 11 years later, we can't even be a candidate (for EU membership). Who are we supposed to sack, or send to the Hague (Tribunal) now?"

It is not fair, he complained, for Serbia not to be made a candidate - "after all it did".

In this context, the minister added that Serbia "removed Slobodan Milošević from power, finalized cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, adopted the Statue of Vojvdina, the Resolution on Srebrenica and apologized to all surrounding nations".

"If the EU does not wish any further enlargement, they should say so," Dačić stated, and concluded that while he was in favor of continued EU integrations, he also supported the preservation of Serbia's national interests, and of the country's dignity.

"Not true"

Vice President of Vuk Drašković's Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) Aleksandar Čotrić believes that Ivica Dačić's statement is not true.

Čotrić said in a written statement that the European Council unequivocally announced on December 9 what conditions lie ahead of Serbia, and that among them there is no recognition of independence of Kosovo.

According to Čotrić, Serbia is expected to implement agreements reached with Priština, including the agreements on administrative crossings, regional cooperation and representation of Kosovo, as well as cooperation with EULEX and KFOR to enable them to exercise their mandate.

If some ministers and parties in the Serbian government do not want Serbia to join the EU or are unable to achieve this goal, then they should make their views clear, rather than seek excuses and hide the truth from the citizens of Serbia, Čotrić said.