PM meets with EP official; reveals "allergy to lectures"

BELGRADE Prime Minister Ivica Dacic on Wednesday described European Parliament (EP) Rapporteur for Serbia Jelko Kacin's visit here as "least of all political". Serbia cannot be lectured "just like that", Dacic told reporters in Belgrade. PM meets with EP official; reveals "allergy to lectures" "Keep your tone down," the Serbian PM sent another message, noting at the same time that he had been cooperating with Kacin for many years and that he "respected him". However, continued Dacic, "he must bear in mind that Serbia is, after all, an equal part of Europe". Commenting on Kacin's statement that "investors in Serbia were the target of racketeering", the premier said he "did not know what the EP rapporteur had in mind". Dacic at the same time called on all foreign investors who had been, or will be asked for "any kind of service in return for investments" to contact him, adding that "such behavior" will be punished: "It is in Serbia's state interests for investors to come here, rather than to have someone profit privately from them." However, Dacic added that he "disliked when someone came here to Belgrade from whichever institution anywhere in the world, even the EU, in order to dispense lectures": "I'm quite sure that corruption has not yet been eradicated in the EU. There are many examples of things that happened, even in the European Parliament, where Kacin comes from," the prime minister underlined. He added that he was "against political pressure being applied on Serbia because of somebody's economic interests". "I'm allergic to people continuously coming to Belgrade with an attitude to dispense lectures," Dacic said, and wondered "which countries did those who complained about corruption come from". He also recalled that the Kosovo Albanian prime minister told a session of the UN Security Council that "Mali had recognized Kosovo", only to have the African country later announce that this claim was not true. "And now, Kacin is lecturing Serbia," concluded the prime minister. Addressing the issue of controversial privatizations, he said they had been carried out prior to 2008, and that he was "in favor of them being solved", but that nothing was done to "process these things". "We don't need lessons for that," he noted. During his visit to Belgrade, Kacin said that Serbia would not be given a date for the start of its EU membership talks this year, and that the authorities in Belgrade "had to reexamine the 24 contentious privatizations" - something that Brussels had already demanded. Speaking for B92 TV, the Slovenian politician also noted that systemic corruption was a serious, persistent problem in Serbia and that the country could count on "improving its image and attracting investors" only if it tackled the issue in a serious manner. "The rule of law is not efficient, property is not protected in Serbia," asserted Kacin. Ivica Dacic is seen in Belgrade on Wednesday (Tanjug) Importance of footnote downplayed PM vica Dacic said on Wednesday that the issue of footnote standing next to the name of Kosovo in regional meetings does not deserve so much attention, and underlined that the new government accepts what has been agreed by the previous one. “In my opinion, that issue does not deserve so much attention, as it is not essential,” Dacic said at a press conference. Dacic noted that the agreement on Pristina's representation in regional meetings had been reached in Brussels, and interpreted by Belgrade, Pristina and EU mediator in the Kosovo dialogue Robert Cooper in different ways. Serbia has insisted on Kosovo being represented asymmetrically, Dacic said, when asked by a journalist to comment on European Parliament Rapporteur on Serbia Jelko Kacin's statement that the agreement on the footnote had been reached with the Serbian authorities. That asymmetry is marked by an asterisk, and the explanation is in the footnote, Dacic said. “The dispute was over whether Kosovo's nameplate will be followed by both the asterisk and footnote, or just Kosovo with an asterisk, whereas the footnote would be in the documents,” Dacic said, adding that state bodies would consider possible interpretations of the agreement. B92 Tanjug

PM meets with EP official; reveals "allergy to lectures"

"Keep your tone down," the Serbian PM sent another message, noting at the same time that he had been cooperating with Kacin for many years and that he "respected him". However, continued Dačić, "he must bear in mind that Serbia is, after all, an equal part of Europe".

Commenting on Kacin's statement that "investors in Serbia were the target of racketeering", the premier said he "did not know what the EP rapporteur had in mind".

Dačić at the same time called on all foreign investors who had been, or will be asked for "any kind of service in return for investments" to contact him, adding that "such behavior" will be punished:

"It is in Serbia's state interests for investors to come here, rather than to have someone profit privately from them."

However, Dačić added that he "disliked when someone came here to Belgrade from whichever institution anywhere in the world, even the EU, in order to dispense lectures":

"I'm quite sure that corruption has not yet been eradicated in the EU. There are many examples of things that happened, even in the European Parliament, where Kacin comes from," the prime minister underlined.

He added that he was "against political pressure being applied on Serbia because of somebody's economic interests".

"I'm allergic to people continuously coming to Belgrade with an attitude to dispense lectures," Dačić said, and wondered "which countries did those who complained about corruption come from".

He also recalled that the Kosovo Albanian prime minister told a session of the UN Security Council that "Mali had recognized Kosovo", only to have the African country later announce that this claim was not true.

"And now, Kacin is lecturing Serbia," concluded the prime minister.

Addressing the issue of controversial privatizations, he said they had been carried out prior to 2008, and that he was "in favor of them being solved", but that nothing was done to "process these things".

"We don't need lessons for that," he noted.

During his visit to Belgrade, Kacin said that Serbia would not be given a date for the start of its EU membership talks this year, and that the authorities in Belgrade "had to reexamine the 24 contentious privatizations" - something that Brussels had already demanded.

Speaking for B92 TV, the Slovenian politician also noted that systemic corruption was a serious, persistent problem in Serbia and that the country could count on "improving its image and attracting investors" only if it tackled the issue in a serious manner.

"The rule of law is not efficient, property is not protected in Serbia," asserted Kacin.

Importance of footnote downplayed

PM vica Dačić said on Wednesday that the issue of footnote standing next to the name of Kosovo in regional meetings does not deserve so much attention, and underlined that the new government accepts what has been agreed by the previous one. “In my opinion, that issue does not deserve so much attention, as it is not essential,” Dačić said at a press conference.

Dačić noted that the agreement on Priština's representation in regional meetings had been reached in Brussels, and interpreted by Belgrade, Priština and EU mediator in the Kosovo dialogue Robert Cooper in different ways.

Serbia has insisted on Kosovo being represented asymmetrically, Dačić said, when asked by a journalist to comment on European Parliament Rapporteur on Serbia Jelko Kacin's statement that the agreement on the footnote had been reached with the Serbian authorities.

That asymmetry is marked by an asterisk, and the explanation is in the footnote, Dačić said.

“The dispute was over whether Kosovo's nameplate will be followed by both the asterisk and footnote, or just Kosovo with an asterisk, whereas the footnote would be in the documents,” Dačić said, adding that state bodies would consider possible interpretations of the agreement.