"Government has right to test deal in referendum"

BELGRADE President Tomislav Nikolic stated on Friday that the government has the right to test the citizens' support to the agreement with Pristina in a referendum. He also stressed that through the agreement "the Serb community in Kosovo and Metohija, particularly in the north, has secured more rights than it used to enjoy so far." "Government has right to test deal in referendum" Nikolic said after a meeting with EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule that Serbia is "peacefully waiting for the EU decision on the opening of the EU accession talks," adding that he is assured that in June or certainly by the end of the year this goal will be achieved. “The work on the agreement with the interim institutions in Pristina was very difficult. You can see by yourselves how a part of the public reacted, but I expect the parliament to accept what has been agreed by the government. In case the government chooses to test the decision outside of the parliament, than it has the right to do that in a referendum,” Nikolic said. “My opinion is that by this agreement the Serb community in Kosovo-Metohija, particularly in the north, has secured more rights than it has enjoyed so far, and it fully formalized them in line with the EU so that they are now firmly established, and there are no more illegal or parallel structures, but rather structures of the Serb community in Kosovo,” the Serbian president said. EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule stated on Friday that the EU considers it essential for the Serbian government to ensure that everyone covered in the Brussels agreement takes part in the document's implementation and the way to ensure this depends on Serbia, not Brussels. "Whichever path gets chosen, it should bring us closer to the implementation of the agreement, not distance us from it," Fule said at a joint news conference with the Serbian president and added that this should not delay the process, but ensure a sustainable implementation. When asked about his stand on the referendum and whether it could postpone the decision of the EU to set the date of accession talks for Serbia, Fule said that the way in which this would be done is up to the Serbian government, not the European Commission. "It is essential for everyone covered in the agreement to take part in its implementation," he said. Fule said that he discussed the issue informally with Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday, and today he addressed the matter with the Serbian president. (Tanjug) "Positive opinion in June" Tomislav Nikolic and Stefan Fule expect that the EU will decide by the end of June to open accession talks with Serbia and that all the parties involved in the Brussels agreement will take part in its implementation. At a joint news conference with the EU commissioner in Belgrade on Friday, the Serbian president said that Serbia is in calm expectation of the EU deciding to open negotiations on membership. “I am not a pessimist. I believe that we will certainly witness a positive result this year. I am confident it will come in June, although it would not be the first time Serbia expected something without getting it,” Nikolic told Tanjug. The Serbian president thanked Fule for his commitment in helping Serbia get closer to the EU, adding that this is indicative of the Union being ready to open the accession negotiations with Serbia. “Serbia would not be able to accomplish this without your help, and you would not be happy if Serbia was not the way it is today,” Nikolic said, adding that Serbia has finally come very close to achieving its big goal. The European commissioner said that the Brussels agreement represents a message to the entire Europe about “Serbia's European position.” Serbia has overcome past conflicts and got closer to our common goal - Serbia in the EU, said Fule. Nikolic and Fule agree that it would be all right if Serbia held a referendum on the Brussels agreements, given it posed no hindrance to the document's implementation. “The work on the agreement with the interim institutions in Pristina was very difficult. You can see by yourselves how a part of our public reacted, but I expect the parliament will accept what has been agreed by the government. And in case the government chooses to evaluate its decision outside of parliament, then it has the right to do that in a referendum,” Nikolic said. “My opinion is that this agreement brought the Serb community in Kosovo-Metohija, particularly in the north, more rights than it has enjoyed so far, and it fully formalized them to put them in line with the EU (legislation) so that they are now firmly established, and there are no more illegal or parallel structures, but rather structures of the Serb community in Kosovo,” the Serbian president said. Fule stated on Friday that the EU considers it essential for the Serbian government to ensure that every party involved in the Brussels agreement takes part in the document's implementation, adding that it rests with Serbia, not Brussels, to find ways to make this happen. Whichever path gets chosen, it should bring us closer to the implementation of the agreement, not distance us from it, the European commissioner said, adding that this should not delay the process, but rather ensure a sustainable implementation. When asked about his stand on the referendum and whether it could postpone the EU opinion concerning the date for the start of accession talks with Serbia, Fule said that if the referendum should take place, it also rests with the Serbian government, not the European Commission, to deal with this. Fule said that he discussed the issue informally with Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday, and today he addressed the matter during his meeting with the Serbian president. Fule said that the agreement was made possible by the determination, courage, wisdom, and willingness to compromise shown by all parties, which are all European values, said Fule. Soon we will see yet another European value in action - implementation of agreements, said Fule, adding that this is something that makes countries stronger and which is making Serbia stronger right now. Fule congratulated Prime Minister Ivica Dacic for the efforts he made to reach a balanced agreement, adding that he can now boldly defend it before the citizens of Serbia and elsewhere in the region. This paved the way to a better future for the citizens of both Serbia and Kosovo, Fule said. The European Commissioner commended the statement by the Serbian President relating to the Srebrenica and other crimes committed in Bosnia during the 1990s, saying that it will help wounds heal. Tanjug

"Government has right to test deal in referendum"

Nikolić said after a meeting with EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule that Serbia is "peacefully waiting for the EU decision on the opening of the EU accession talks," adding that he is assured that in June or certainly by the end of the year this goal will be achieved.

“The work on the agreement with the interim institutions in Priština was very difficult. You can see by yourselves how a part of the public reacted, but I expect the parliament to accept what has been agreed by the government. In case the government chooses to test the decision outside of the parliament, than it has the right to do that in a referendum,” Nikolić said.

“My opinion is that by this agreement the Serb community in Kosovo-Metohija, particularly in the north, has secured more rights than it has enjoyed so far, and it fully formalized them in line with the EU so that they are now firmly established, and there are no more illegal or parallel structures, but rather structures of the Serb community in Kosovo,” the Serbian president said.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule stated on Friday that the EU considers it essential for the Serbian government to ensure that everyone covered in the Brussels agreement takes part in the document's implementation and the way to ensure this depends on Serbia, not Brussels.

"Whichever path gets chosen, it should bring us closer to the implementation of the agreement, not distance us from it," Fule said at a joint news conference with the Serbian president and added that this should not delay the process, but ensure a sustainable implementation.

When asked about his stand on the referendum and whether it could postpone the decision of the EU to set the date of accession talks for Serbia, Fule said that the way in which this would be done is up to the Serbian government, not the European Commission.

"It is essential for everyone covered in the agreement to take part in its implementation," he said.

Fule said that he discussed the issue informally with Prime Minister Ivica Dačić and Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić on Thursday, and today he addressed the matter with the Serbian president.

"Positive opinion in June"

Tomislav Nikolić and Stefan Fule expect that the EU will decide by the end of June to open accession talks with Serbia and that all the parties involved in the Brussels agreement will take part in its implementation.

At a joint news conference with the EU commissioner in Belgrade on Friday, the Serbian president said that Serbia is in calm expectation of the EU deciding to open negotiations on membership.

“I am not a pessimist. I believe that we will certainly witness a positive result this year. I am confident it will come in June, although it would not be the first time Serbia expected something without getting it,” Nikolić told Tanjug.

The Serbian president thanked Fule for his commitment in helping Serbia get closer to the EU, adding that this is indicative of the Union being ready to open the accession negotiations with Serbia.

“Serbia would not be able to accomplish this without your help, and you would not be happy if Serbia was not the way it is today,” Nikolić said, adding that Serbia has finally come very close to achieving its big goal.

The European commissioner said that the Brussels agreement represents a message to the entire Europe about “Serbia's European position.”

Serbia has overcome past conflicts and got closer to our common goal - Serbia in the EU, said Fule.

Nikolić and Fule agree that it would be all right if Serbia held a referendum on the Brussels agreements, given it posed no hindrance to the document's implementation.

“The work on the agreement with the interim institutions in Priština was very difficult. You can see by yourselves how a part of our public reacted, but I expect the parliament will accept what has been agreed by the government. And in case the government chooses to evaluate its decision outside of parliament, then it has the right to do that in a referendum,” Nikolić said.

“My opinion is that this agreement brought the Serb community in Kosovo-Metohija, particularly in the north, more rights than it has enjoyed so far, and it fully formalized them to put them in line with the EU (legislation) so that they are now firmly established, and there are no more illegal or parallel structures, but rather structures of the Serb community in Kosovo,” the Serbian president said.

Fule stated on Friday that the EU considers it essential for the Serbian government to ensure that every party involved in the Brussels agreement takes part in the document's implementation, adding that it rests with Serbia, not Brussels, to find ways to make this happen.

Whichever path gets chosen, it should bring us closer to the implementation of the agreement, not distance us from it, the European commissioner said, adding that this should not delay the process, but rather ensure a sustainable implementation.

When asked about his stand on the referendum and whether it could postpone the EU opinion concerning the date for the start of accession talks with Serbia, Fule said that if the referendum should take place, it also rests with the Serbian government, not the European Commission, to deal with this.

Fule said that he discussed the issue informally with Prime Minister Ivica Dačić and Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday, and today he addressed the matter during his meeting with the Serbian president.

Fule said that the agreement was made possible by the determination, courage, wisdom, and willingness to compromise shown by all parties, which are all European values, said Fule.

Soon we will see yet another European value in action - implementation of agreements, said Fule, adding that this is something that makes countries stronger and which is making Serbia stronger right now.

Fule congratulated Prime Minister Ivica Dačić for the efforts he made to reach a balanced agreement, adding that he can now boldly defend it before the citizens of Serbia and elsewhere in the region.

This paved the way to a better future for the citizens of both Serbia and Kosovo, Fule said.

The European Commissioner commended the statement by the Serbian President relating to the Srebrenica and other crimes committed in Bosnia during the 1990s, saying that it will help wounds heal.