“Referendum question can only be about agreement”

BELGRADE A question in a referendum can be “are you in favor or against the Brussels agreement”, First Deputy PM Aleksandar Vucic has said. He stressed that the wording of the question could not be “should Kosovo remain in Serbia”. “Referendum question can only be about agreement” Vucic told Belgrade-based Prva TV that the referendum had been offered to northern Kosovo Serbs but that they needed to accept results and take part in the implementation if the majority supported it. He said that he would resign if the agreement was not supported by the majority of citizens in the referendum. The first deputy PM explained that the agreement “is a way for Serbia to survive, to not be isolated, to avoid the introduction of visas”. “If the answer in the referendum is negative, this means that there will be no more government,” Vucic stressed. He noted he was ready to go to Kosovo but that a decision would depend on a response of northern Kosovo Serbs on Tuesday. “I am not running away from the trip to Kosovo but it depends on their answer, it depends on how the situation will develop,” the first deputy prime minister added. He said that he could not travel to Kosovo before Tuesday because he was visiting Croatia on Monday. Vucic pointed out that the government’s Office for Kosovo would not be closed. According to him, former Office for Kosovo Director Aleksandar Vulin had a harder time accepting many things during the talks than other members of the negotiating team. “He was very worried and I respect this kind of concern and commitment,” the deputy PM said, adding that he and Vulin had been working together for years. Aleksandar Vucic (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

“Referendum question can only be about agreement”

Vučić told Belgrade-based Prva TV that the referendum had been offered to northern Kosovo Serbs but that they needed to accept results and take part in the implementation if the majority supported it.

He said that he would resign if the agreement was not supported by the majority of citizens in the referendum.

The first deputy PM explained that the agreement “is a way for Serbia to survive, to not be isolated, to avoid the introduction of visas”.

“If the answer in the referendum is negative, this means that there will be no more government,” Vučić stressed.

He noted he was ready to go to Kosovo but that a decision would depend on a response of northern Kosovo Serbs on Tuesday.

“I am not running away from the trip to Kosovo but it depends on their answer, it depends on how the situation will develop,” the first deputy prime minister added.

He said that he could not travel to Kosovo before Tuesday because he was visiting Croatia on Monday.

Vučić pointed out that the government’s Office for Kosovo would not be closed.

According to him, former Office for Kosovo Director Aleksandar Vulin had a harder time accepting many things during the talks than other members of the negotiating team.

“He was very worried and I respect this kind of concern and commitment,” the deputy PM said, adding that he and Vulin had been working together for years.