“Serbia will not renounce Resolution on Kosovo”

BELGRADE Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic says top officials absolutely agree that not a single part of the Resolution on Kosovo can be renounced at any cost. “Serbia's top officials are united in their defense of the Resolution,” he told Belgrade-based daily Vecernje novosti. “Serbia will not renounce Resolution on Kosovo” Commenting on media speculations that the agreement between Belgrade and Pristina was reached secretly and that according to it, Serbia practically renounced the core of the Resolution on Kosovo, which was adopted by the Serbian parliament, the Serbian president said that there was absolute unity as to the government's firm stand concerning the Resolution. Nikolic said that Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and himself had achieved absolute agreement that they would not renounce any part of the Resolution on Kosovo. “Rest assured that there is a strong agreement on this matter and that there are no weak links in the government concerning this,” Nikolic stressed. The Serbian parliament adopted the Resolution on Kosovo on January 13. The Resolution envisages that all future agreements with Pristina need to be in accordance with the document and it insists on the forming of the Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo. The Serbian president told Zvecan-based Most TV that that if Belgrade pulled out of the talks on Kosovo and if it was left to Pristina to administer Kosovo together with the EU and without Belgrade's consent, the situation would become very unstable and Belgrade would be able to do very little for the Kosovo Serbs. Speaking about Belgrade's proposal concerning powers to be enjoyed by the Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo, Nikolic said that the Community should be entitled to enact statutes, regulations, decisions, resolutions and regulations based on laws passed by the Kosovo parliament. The Serbian president said that the Serb community should have a number of representatives in the Kosovo parliament and any proposed legislation relating to the Serb community should require a majority vote from the community. "If no majority is formed by members of the Serb community to vote in favor of something that relates to the Serb community, that something cannot be passed," Nikolic said. "All these are protections guaranteed to minority communities and the same protections are guaranteed to the Kosovo Serbs since Pristina will be setting the rules in Kosovo," he explained. The president said that Serbia could help the Kosovo Serbs a lot right now, adding that it was bound by law to help Serb communities in every area lacking resources and experts. "I wish to avoid someone blaming us of being hostages to the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija or the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija accusing us of betraying them. I therefore wish to have the issues completely settled, leaving no room for ambiguity," Nikolic concluded. Tomislav Nikolic (Beta, file) Tanjug Vecernje novosti

“Serbia will not renounce Resolution on Kosovo”

Commenting on media speculations that the agreement between Belgrade and Priština was reached secretly and that according to it, Serbia practically renounced the core of the Resolution on Kosovo, which was adopted by the Serbian parliament, the Serbian president said that there was absolute unity as to the government's firm stand concerning the Resolution.

Nikolić said that Prime Minister Ivica Dačić, First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić and himself had achieved absolute agreement that they would not renounce any part of the Resolution on Kosovo.

“Rest assured that there is a strong agreement on this matter and that there are no weak links in the government concerning this,” Nikolić stressed.

The Serbian parliament adopted the Resolution on Kosovo on January 13. The Resolution envisages that all future agreements with Priština need to be in accordance with the document and it insists on the forming of the Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo.

The Serbian president told Zvečan-based Most TV that that if Belgrade pulled out of the talks on Kosovo and if it was left to Priština to administer Kosovo together with the EU and without Belgrade's consent, the situation would become very unstable and Belgrade would be able to do very little for the Kosovo Serbs.

Speaking about Belgrade's proposal concerning powers to be enjoyed by the Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo, Nikolić said that the Community should be entitled to enact statutes, regulations, decisions, resolutions and regulations based on laws passed by the Kosovo parliament.

The Serbian president said that the Serb community should have a number of representatives in the Kosovo parliament and any proposed legislation relating to the Serb community should require a majority vote from the community.

"If no majority is formed by members of the Serb community to vote in favor of something that relates to the Serb community, that something cannot be passed," Nikolić said.

"All these are protections guaranteed to minority communities and the same protections are guaranteed to the Kosovo Serbs since Priština will be setting the rules in Kosovo," he explained.

The president said that Serbia could help the Kosovo Serbs a lot right now, adding that it was bound by law to help Serb communities in every area lacking resources and experts.

"I wish to avoid someone blaming us of being hostages to the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija or the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija accusing us of betraying them. I therefore wish to have the issues completely settled, leaving no room for ambiguity," Nikolić concluded.