Slovak FM: Serbia is on right track

Slovak FM: Serbia is on right track

"I'm glad that parliamentary elections confirmed that the citizens understand that and that they gave the government a mandate to lead the country through economic reforms and European integration."

Asked by the Beta news agency if the post of EU's enlargement commissioner would be abolished, he said there had been "such speculation," but that he did not believe it.

Asked whether he would succeed Catherine Ashton as EU foreign policy chief, Lajčak said he was satisfied with his job as Slovakia's minister, "and did not wish to engage in speculation."

As for the possibility that establishment of a Kosovo army could jeopardize talks between Belgrade and Priština, Lajčak said that it was "best to discuss individual questions during the dialogue, and not during press conferences."

Ivica Dačić also addressed reporters to say that political relations between the two countries were very good and that Serbia appreciates Slovakia's "principled stance on Kosovo" - the country is one of five EU member-states that have not recognized the ethnic Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence.

Serbia is also grateful to Slovakia for the support for its EU membership bid, said Dačić, noting however that "economic cooperation between the two countries should be enhanced."

Dačić and Lajčak stressed that this type of cooperation could be improved above all in the sectors of energy and infrastructure.

Asked if the EU-Serbia intergovernmental conference would be held in June, Dačić said the conference has not been scheduled, and that its holding depends on whether some of the chapters would be opened "now or in October" - the deadline for the gathering to take place.

"We are ready and we would like it to happen in June, here I do not have chapters 23 and 24 in mind, it is reasonable for those to be opened early next year," he said, and explained that he meant chapter 32 on financial control and chapter 35 on Kosovo.

Dačić said that chapter 35 "for the moment has not met those so-called conditions to be opened," and that a discussion was ongoing on this subject.

"Some countries insist that this should not be done until what's been agreed in the Brussels agreement has been implemented. Greece, as the presiding EU country, in particular insists that it should happen in June, and if not, then during the Italian presidency in October," said Dačić.

Commenting on Belgrade Pride Parade planned to take place in late May, Dačić, who served as prime minister and interior minister in the previous government, said it was not a question of rights, but rather of security, and that "it will be the same this year" - the holding of the parade will depend on assessments of security services.

"Thank God I no longer deal with internal affairs," Dačić remarked.