"Germany will demand that Serbia recognizes Kosovo"

The Germans hate the Serbs for the role Serbs played in kicking Germany's ass in WWI and WWII. "Serbien musst sterbien" was the old credo and it still exists for the Germans. After playing a key role in the dismemberment of Yugoslavia (the German secret service had been at this ever since the 70s), Germany further wants to control and humiliate Serbia and Serbs.

I hope the naive yellows finaly wake up. It's humorous to me, because I've talked to many Serbs who think Germany is our new partner, trying to help us. Wake up! How stupid can one be? Germany has never been our friend, was the key anti-Serb force in the EU which bullied the other members into premature recognition, and will never forgive Serbia for bringing down their empires in both WWI and WWII. Germany knows who their lapdog allies are in the Balkans, and has supported them and their attrocities agains Serbs. The same can not be said for the UK, France, and the US, who have forgotten who their ally is, and completely betrayed Serbia.
Now that Serbia has free trade and visa free travel with the EU, that is all we need. Serbia can use the Dinar as a trade advantage with the rest of the EU, and weaken it and trade its way out of any recession if need be. Greece can not do this since they are tied to the Euro, and you are seeing the results of that flawed policy right now. Serbia needs to stand up and show Germany the middle finger, and tell them to stick their EU membership where the sun doesn't shine.
Cheers!!

What is the point of giving Kosovo away in order to join the EU and NATO.

The EU will probably be desolved the day after Serbia gains membership.

Then what????

No car!
No job!
No money!
No diginity!

and most of all

No Kosovo!

The war on Serbia has never ended. Serbia has a better chance of surviving by signing over the deeds to Russia.

Next we'll be required to convert to Catholicism. Then we'll have to have blue eyes and blonde hair.

Finally an admission that Tadic's "no alternative to EU" policy is completely flawed. As I have mentioned, Tadic would sell everything he has and these people would laugh at him and still ask for more.

I really don't believe Serbia will enter the EU or whether the EU will be recognisable (as it is now) in the next decade. Cycles repeat and unfortunately the world is heading into rough waters. Think 100 years back as an indication of what the future might bring.

The problem here is not Serbia but the rigidity of the west. That will be their undoing. The Orthodox world (including Greece, Romania and Bulgaria) will soon see that the EU is not for them.

A handful of German MPs cannot make that sort of condition, especially when there is no EU-wide consensus on Kosovan UDI. The EU cannot have the other Balkan states in the Union unless Serbia is. Wait for the immediate denials and eventual fudge/compromise on this question.

now we finally see who really won WWII.

Then neither KiM, BiH or Serbia will get in and if EU ascension becomes impossible then it'll give us a free hand to re-integrate KiM without compromise and to clean up the messes in Sandzak and Presevo Valley. Either way we WILL bleed the EU dry with S.Stream transit fees forever.

This was always the case, EU membership will just be a carrot on a stick to Serbia until it recognises Kosovo. Other countries will also demand that Serbia recognises Kosovo before Serbia can join too. UK, France, Italy, Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden, Hungary ect.

A handful of German MPs cannot make that sort of condition, especially when there is no EU-wide consensus on Kosovan UDI. The EU cannot have the other Balkan states in the Union unless Serbia is. Wait for the immediate denials and eventual fudge/compromise on this question.
(The Brit, 22 June 2011 14:42)

Yes they can and yes they will. Every single EU country must approve every candidate member after the negotiations are complete. So Serbia will need all 27 governments to agree to its membership and probably Croatia and Iceland too who'll be members when Serbia finishes negotiations. So lets say 26 out of the 27 say yes to Serbia's membership, Serbia still can't join until all 27 say yes. The same applies to all countries, Slovenia has threatened to block Croatia's membership until they resolve a boarder dispute. France even vetoed the UK thanks to that two faced twat De Gaulle who was a guest in Britain during WW2.

A number of German MP's can demand what they like, but if they think they can dictate Serbian policy on Kosovo they can think again.

Germany should be reminded that throughout history its record in meddling in the Balkans has hardly been positive. Frankly these MP's should proceed with a little more respect towards today's Serbia, which is supposed to be some kind of partner.

In the end like other posters I'm not convinced at what kind of EU will exist by the time Serbia is called to join. As far as I'm concerned I'm happy to sit in the waiting room, to use EU pre-accession funds, to improve trade agreements, to agree freedom of travel, to improve standards where they need improvement, to crack down on corruption.

But these things I support for the sake of Serbia and its citizens. If Serbia won't be let in anyway and certain EU 'standards' harm the Serbian interest they should not be implemented.

There is no point in going through the pain if there is not to be a greater gain.

There you have it!

Can it be more clear for you?

Tung

You know, the last time a bunch of Germans made a number of demands on Serbia like this an Archducke was shot and a world war erupted. Germans just don't learn from history :)

"Do it or else" Just like the Nazis; however the Serbs, as history has shown, always seem to pick "or else"

If this isn’t the final straw then I don’t want to see how far this Serbian government will go. A message needs to be sent back to Germany. In my opinion, this is the biggest slap in the face to date, and it was delivered in person at that. Enough is enough Serbia.

I knew that this would happen. The EU promised that recognition of Kosovo would not be a condition for EU candidacy. But I always knew that to enter the EU, the Kosovo problem would have to be solved. The Serbian people have two options; a)join the EU , b)isolate yourself from the west.
All it takes is recognizing that you have no control of the fate of Kosovo, it's a reality, you have all ready lost it, why not profit from simply recognizing a reality?

This has been a fact from the beginning!
It is time for the Serbs to wake up and realize that either they can join the EU and once again become "raped" or they have to stand up for Serbia and defend her honour!

Honestly, did anybody in Serbia thought that Serbia can join EU otherwise.
Please explain to me how.
Everybody with some sense knew that.
The fact that you guys believed your leaders fairy tale stories is your fault.
You can still put your heads in the barrel and pretend you did not hear this news, it is your right.
The other thing: I find fascinating is when I read articles from some in this forum that still believe that Kosovo will in some magical way be part of Serbia again.
Not trying to offend anybody but there are more chances for China to be a part of Serbia.
You can still dream of course.

I can see only one way for that to be possible – US and NATO Disappears and Russia is the only supper power left.
I cannot say what will happen in 200 years time but I can guaranty you that it will not happen sooner.

You do have choices though.
1. Not join EU
a. Kosovo is gone anyway
b. Stay where you are
c. Move backwards
d. Use Serbs in Kosovo for your political gains
e. Spend millions you do not have trying to cling on to something you don’t own
f. Question:
i. Is all of that worth for a dream (something you never had and will never have)
2. Recognise Kosovo
a. Move a step closer to the rest of Europe
b. Improve business relations with Kosovo and Albania (a substantial market I would say)
c. Genuinely help Serbs in Kosovo without using them
d. Keep your millions you would spend in Kosovo and invest them more wisely

Just to confirm: with everyday passing by, your anti Albanian attitude is assisting the creation of your worst nightmare – The Greater Albania.
Your previous leaders (Milosevic and the ones before him) gave birth to Kosovo.
Your existing leaders are in a good path of giving birth to the Grater Albania.

The Instigator behind the break-up of Yugoslavia,
has continued its more than 100-year long policy against Srbia,
and now demands a full capitulation to this Century-long hostility.

What an Looser this Tadic Government is,
and now also losing suport from the Serbian People and History,
whom Yadic have gambled with and lost.

What now -

Should Tadic Wag his Tail the more and continue his downward path or change course ?.

I think he is lost forever.

GOD bevere Srbia in and for the Future for what is now to come.

Arn.Sweden.

GOOD! Best news I've heard. Thank you Germany and Holland for keeping Serbia out of the European Union, the best thing you've done for Serbs.

The EU is a sinking ship..do NOT jump on the titanic because the iceberg is inches away!!!

Nema Predaje

Hahahaha....What a joke and what pure bulls¤¤t! A few German MP:s voice their stance. I can tell you honestly, I have heard such things about the K Albanians coming from German MP:s, German intelligence, German diplomats and German police, that I would not dare write it here. First of all its all to rude. Secondly, some of it is classified. Now, some common sense. There will NOT be any pressure against Serbia to recognize its southern province.
61% of the world countries see Kosovo as a Serbian province. According to UN, EU, OSCE, FIFA, IOC etc as organisations, Kosovo is a Serbian province and nothing else. (Check thier homepages) Also, some of the EU countries that has not recognized Kosovo has said that they will not recognize Kosovo even if Serbia did it. So thats for the amusement this little column created among the K Albanians. What a canard.

Germany will demand that Serbia recognises Kosovo to enter EU

You have to be naïve to believe that Serbia could enter the EU without not having sorted its border disputes first.
Actually we need to applaud BRD for being strait and honest about it and not giving Serb people some sort of false hope.

Goodbye, Europe. It was nice knowing you.

Another Canadian Serb,
Serbia would ge giving up something they do not and never will have again. Even if the move for independence never progresses it would as part of 1244 forever remain a UN protectorate not part of Serbia. This is the part I do not understand is all these efforts are so Serbia can claim Kosovo in name only, there is no actual ownership or control being considered.
highduke, you never disappoint. You and your transit fees. If you think you would be able to inflict a paper cut on EU with the pipeline then maybe you should get to know the people who control 51% of your energy market. 51% decides everything and the other 49% is just along for the ride. You will have no more control over the pipeline than you do over Kosovo.

Herr Otto THE EU master and commander is speaking loud and clear...recognize Kosovo and surrender THE MILITARY POLICY to Nato...nothing new really but for the first time these things have been said clearly without all the diplomatic jargon... now it's up to Serbia to decide what to do on their Eu path because as i always said the keys are in Berlin not in Brussels...

DANKE DEUTSCHLAND!!!!

I've said all along that Tadic and co will have to arrest Hadzic, betray Republika Srpska, recognize Kosovo and join NATO to join the EU. Damn, with these options on the table I would rather choose to be bombed again.
Serbia, wote aginst Tadic and his euroasskissers in the next election.

Too bad that "Kosova" will keep running into the Cypriot and other EU "Kosova"-ignoring walls and it is clear that German MPs will not go to Moscow or Beijing and talk with the same tone and attitude to the Russians and Chinese. The Germans finally did Serbia and the Serbs a favor. Still no short and long term UN, EU, IOC, FIFA. UEFA and the list goes on prospects for "Kosova".

You know, the last time a bunch of Germans made a number of demands on Serbia like this an Archducke was shot and a world war erupted.
***
...and your army has "tacticly withdrawn" to Greece on a prolonged vacation.

Whoever doubted that Serbia will get in the EU without recognising Kosovo. This a the answer.
Serbia should start practising good neighbourly relations with Kosovo.
But in its own time.

if only this was really true!

the EU needs Serbia more inside the EU than Serbia needs the EU at all! so, it would be in Serbia´s interest that, no matter what, something prevents Belgrade from joining this multinational-prison.

as for the future-prospects, with the BRICS-states as partners, and with Russia and China as strategic partners, Serbia can look ahead quite relaxed.

Serbia will prevail, there is no doubt about that. it is only a question of time.

If Serbia doesn't join the EU, then all of Serbia's neighbours won't be climbing "UP" the EU walls either. There will be neighbouring consequences if Serbia doesn't join the EU; especially for the residents of Kosovo.

The only thing going "UP" in Kosovo will be smoke!

For Germany or shall i say the USA, this is really about ripping Kosovo away from Serbia and not about whether Serbia will join the EU.

The EU will immediately abandon Serbia once Serbia recognizes Kosovo as a separate state.
(Another Canadian Serb, 22 June 2011 19:11)
# Comment link

According to you and others Kosovo never had a chance joining the EU once Serbia did so why should anyone think that this is hurting Kosovo's chances?
And if you are talking about Kosovo going up in smoke, cheap talk from a pseudo nationalist living 4000 miles away. You see NATO needs no new UN mandate to defend Kosovo, they have it in 1244, you know the proSerbian document.
highduke,
All I can say is first learn economics, and 2nd learn Russian economics. I doubt anyone in the EU will ever lose a nights sleep nor go without heat due to the pipeline flowing through Serbia. So dream on.

Forget the EU! If they do not want us in without a total and complete capitulation of Serbia to the European Union there we must find an alternative. That alternative is the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). If they choose to push us away, then we can choose to be nudged in the direction of Russia. A country who has been our greatest ally unlike neo-Austria-Hungary that is the European Union.

Finally someone has the guts to say what everyone has known since talks of joining the EU started. I would say that the same goes for a majority of EU countries. Now maybe some of you that keep mentioning the number 5, realize that your problem is 22, Kosovo's problem is 5, a much smaller obstacle.

Germany rules !
Its all bribary.
The germans lost two wars against serbia.
They only look for revenche.
Please serbia. wake up europe and say no to germans !

Frau Merkel must head Toma’s Presidential campaign team ! Well done Germany ! At last the masks are off and everybody can see that Serbia will have to kiss 28 asses to enter the club ! Thank the Lord this damned June 22 Deuchland is really uber alles ! At least for Serbia they served a good service.

Yes they can and yes they will. Every single EU country must approve every candidate member after the negotiations are complete. So Serbia will need all 27 governments to agree to its membership (Ian, UK, 22 June 2011 15:19)

You're missing my point: this clumsily reported story concerns the alleged private remarks of members of a group of visiting parliamentarians - it does NOT represent the views of the German government. Parliament will have to ratify the accession but, even assuming that there is a majority in the Bundestag for this sort of conditionality (which I doubt), this isn't the issue which they're going to bring down the government over.

You could take a party of Serbian MPs to Germany now and they'd come out in favour of recognition, so long as they were all from the LDP. It would still mean nothing in terms of government policy. Our own dear George Galloway MP and the Respect Party were in favour of close fraternal relations with Saddam Hussein, but we still went to war. The bizarre opinions of backbenh MPs are irrelevant in terms of foreign policy.

Expect an emphatic denial from the German ambassador by this evening.

I have always laughed when Serbs said they dont have to recognize Kosovo to join European Union.

As Germany is the Master of Europe, now the last stupid Serb knows that they have to recognize Kosovo.

highduke wrote: "KiM, BiH or Serbia will get in and if EU". Well, you just mentioned that Kosova is independent as Serbia and Bosnia are...read what you wrote.

miri!

If Serbia doesn't join the EU, then all of Serbia's neighbours won't be climbing "UP" the EU walls either. There will be neighbouring consequences if Serbia doesn't join the EU; especially for the residents of Kosovo.

The only thing going "UP" in Kosovo will be smoke!

For Germany or shall i say the USA, this is really about ripping Kosovo away from Serbia and not about whether Serbia will join the EU.

The EU will immediately abandon Serbia once Serbia recognizes Kosovo as a separate state.

bganon, I only hope that your reasoning is rational as you say but it doesn't look like it. And I'm not the only one to notice that by the way.

Since when did you turn out to be so anti-EU?
Since when all the Serbs here turned to be so anti-EU?

You can deny it but unfortunately even for you the decision to join EU is still made based on whether EU(a.k.a Germany as for this article)asks Serbia to recognize Kosova, and not based on whether there is a political or economic interest for Serbia to join EU. If I am wrong then why you turned so abruptly against EU?

If I am wrong, then forgive me, but I don't see it otherwise and the problem is that you still see Kosova as a political loss without understanding that you cannot lose what you don't have.

In a more pragmatic way ( and honestly I believe this is going to happen) Serbian government can negotiate the acceptance of K. into UN, for an EU ticket but not formally recognizing Kosova as a country. It will be a total b.s but not much different than the b.s of claiming Kosova is Serbia. That will mean that the radical part of the Serbian society can still continue with the old slogan, but will not hold hostage that part of Serbian society that see the reality in the face everyday.

WAKE UP SERBIA !!!! if they demand your esteem, soul and history, but then say MAYBE in a decade or so.. provided your a "broken down enough peoples" ..then theyre REALLY an enemy !! to be scared of Dont we understand they have made the choice "no serbia in eu" Look at how much better Turkey is doing since it stopped fooling itself and moved on !!

"Serbia will prevail, there is no doubt about that. it is only a question of time."
Jovan

Wow! Good luck. You will need it.

hahahahahhagagagagagagga recognize or you will be back to your caves in the carpaths

A possible third way would be Norway type of a relation between Serbia and the EU.
(Olli, 22 June 2011 16:32)

When Serbia reaches better living standards than EU, than it can decide to stay out of EU, until then, comparing Serbia to Norway is utterly nonsense.

LOL at Albanian posters on b92 saying I TOLD YOU SO. So what? Joining the EU did nothing for Romania and Bulgaria and they got to keep their whole country intact. Why would Serbia be any different. But this is actually bad news for Alboz because if Serbia gives up on joining the EU, they will make much more concrete steps at regaining their southern province back.

That should worry you albs, because Serbia's worst mistake is the BEST thing you can hope for.

Sad isn't it?

pss

According to 1244, Kosovo is a part of Serbia. Therefore, your last post is moot.

"The talks between Priština and Belgrade must continue," they said of the current Brussels-sponsored dialogue. "At the end of those talks must come the recognition. That goes without saying."

"That goes without saying."

The best quote for today and ever after.

I've said it many times. EU doesn't want another Cyprus. They have enough problems already.

"A number of German MP's can demand what they like, but if they think they can dictate Serbian policy on Kosovo they can think again."

Germany should be reminded that throughout history its record in meddling in the Balkans has hardly been positive. Frankly these MP's should proceed with a little more respect towards today's Serbia, which is supposed to be some kind of partner.

In the end like other posters I'm not convinced at what kind of EU will exist by the time Serbia is called to join. As far as I'm concerned I'm happy to sit in the waiting room, to use EU pre-accession funds, to improve trade agreements, to agree freedom of travel, to improve standards where they need improvement, to crack down on corruption.

But these things I support for the sake of Serbia and its citizens. If Serbia won't be let in anyway and certain EU 'standards' harm the Serbian interest they should not be implemented.

There is no point in going through the pain if there is not to be a greater gain.
(bganon, 22 June 2011 15:24)


Please bganon, don't be dramatic. Serbia is trying to join a club where Germany has a lot to say. Whether you like it or not Serbia cannot dictate the rules on how to join the club, it's the other way around. Serbia might not like this particular condition, but I'm sure Serbia and many other countries have not liked many other rules dictated by EU, when joined, and still had to comply. At the end of the day it is Serbian people living in Serbia who will decide what to do and not Serbian diaspora (no pun intended). Election are just around the corner and in reality there is no other force, than current government that can collect enough votes to lead the country. Serbian opposition is pathetic with a leader who fakes hunger strikes.

As the role of Germany in the Ballkans, what can you say about Russia's role then? It enslaved all Ballkan countries (excluding Greece and to some extend Yugoslavia) for half a century with it's Soviet melodrama. Afterall it depends who you ask on the role of Germany in the Ballkans and elsewhere.

Government of Serbia is between a rock and a hard place.
The choices are: Make concrete steps towards joining EU and pay the price for it, or continue with a failed policy of empty rhetoric, pretending that Kosova belongs to Serbia based on Resolution 1244. I mean, how many blunders it will take, (Kumanovo agreement, EULEX acceptance as envisioned by Ahtisaari, ICJ failure, UNGA resolution about technical talks, 76 quality recognitions) and how many more years (12 already have past) to come to the terms that Serbia lost the war and with it lost Kosova. Who could think in his/her right mind that after all this, Kosova will be re-integrated back to Serbia?

This is no time for high emotions. If Serbian people believe that they should not join EU, then they should not, regardless of any of Germany's or EU conditions. But if Serbian people decide to stay out of EU because of this particular condition, then this is purely madness since nothing will change for Serbia to get a hold on to Kosova, whether joining EU or not.
The question once again is for Serbian people to answer: Should Serbia join EU or NOT, regardless of K-issue.

(rote, 22 June 2011 19:13)

Just think about the coincidence!
70 years ago those Germanic hordes attacked Slavic Russia with the intention to rape ,murder and steal Slavic land until the Ural!
They got their butts handed to them,lost the war and the territories they stole from Slavic Poles in the Middle Ages(East Prussia,Silesia,Pommerania etc.)as a result!
Now,exactly 70 years later on this day they again try to steal Serbian Slavic land (Kosovo) ...

Just look and listen patiently my dear Serbs,SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE!
Who doesn`t learn from history is bound to repeat it!

They will loose this time like they lost in WW1 and WW2,the EU has already started to dismember,just watch closely...

So reading the updated info, we hear that even if Serbia gets candidate status this December, membership won't be for at least another 8 years. Ok, so if Germany sticks with its plan of recognition in exchange for membership, we need to bank on the following:

a) whatever condition Kosovo finds itself in in 8 years will be exponentially better than where it is now

b) an unflinching position on whatever German government is in power in Berlin, not to mention a unified position by the European Parliament

c) whether or not the EU will exist in 8 years anyway or whether it will be relevant to join

d) whether the Belgrade-Pristina talks going on now will produce a compromise condition whereby recognition is already writing on the wall.

If Serbia is still jumping through hoops for EU membership in 8 years, it better be because the EU is one Hell of an economic powerhouse. But a lot can happen in 8 years. A lot can happen in 48 hours too. But for now, I have to once again agree with bgagnon's position: Serbia's decision, whatever it is, will be because it is in Serbia's interest, not some ultimatum indirectly given by Germans.

Wake up, Serbia! The ultimate blackmail from the West, saying that you must accept the forcible illegal amputation of your country by the West in order to join the EU, is now on the table. The German officials have fully displayed the West's cards. Now the question to Serbia is whether they will bow to a raw naked blackmail in violation of UNSC Resolution 1244 and basic international law, or whether they will stay firm. Remember, the future of the global economy resides in Asia, and the BRIC nations, and not the bankrupt US and aging Europe. Figure out who your real allies are. A nation willing to crawl before Brussels will not be respected anyway.

Regarding doubts raised about S.Stream transit fees: each member is allowed to negotiate its own transit fees, so it's not the 51/49 split in fees between Gazprom & Belgrade but the price per unit payed by the customer and since us & Russia aren't strictly formal business partners then we can expect a carte blanche to set higher prices for customers who have no other option. Wait and see. Check the archives I haven't been wrong about any prediction.

This is no surprise to anyone at all, finally it has been said out in the open. This is the time where we will see whether Tadic cares about his country and his people, or whether he will whore himself and Serbia to the EU, I am certain that it will be the latter of the two. Tadic can no longer run around moaning about how Serbia cannot join without Kosovo. The fact is that Germany is such a huge power in the EU that they can make such demands and Serbia cannot bargain with Germany or the whole of the EU, Germany is the first to make such demands and other EU countries will support this move. I hope to God that Serbia will wake up to this horror and punish Tadic's entire regime before it is too late.

Poor old german MPs. They think German is the EU. They are not. They cannot force the 5 non-recognizing member states to change their minds so they require Serbia to give up Kosovo voluntarily. I wonder who among the commentards understands the word 'voluntary' and that it does not mean 'forced'?

It is still for the Serbs to choose and they have quite some time to decide what kind of relationship they want with the EU. They do not need to become an EU ms to have european standards of living, rather hard work and reforms that are done for the benefit of their own citizens. One step short of membership will be fine. The pipelines are still going to be built, Serbia will still become an integrated part of european commerce, energy, transport and communications strategy. It can't be frozen out because of its geographic nature and as we saw from the balkans wars, such punishments will also punish its neighbors as states have only become more interdependent on each other since the end of the Cold War.

The realities of the EU is proof that being in the EU is not all it is cracked up to be. This is born out by both the citizens of Bulgaria and Romania who were promised a land of milk and honey on joining. It hasn't happened because their politicians were supposed to reform their states before joining, not just making promises to be fulfilled at a later date. They are still both deeply corrupt, suffering rising costs of basic goods, and lacking jobs.

Even if what this parliamentary committee says generally reflected amongst other EU states (which it is not), then that is fine. Serbia can use accession to get its house in order and on a western level. It doesn't have to join. It can watch 'Kosovo' and Albania join first instead, in the year 2120...

As far as I'm concerned I'm happy to sit in the waiting room, to use EU pre-accession funds, to improve trade agreements, to agree freedom of travel, to improve standards where they need improvement, to crack down on corruption.
(bganon, 22 June 2011 15:24)
--
You seem like a changed person lately. What happened? The above is spot on.

Also, to my Albanian friends here, you seems to be missing a big point. If this is an impossible obstacle put before Serbia then many many many Serbians will be welcoming this news. Not only will it prevent Serbia joining the EU (which is great news) but it also exposes Tadic's flawed policy. The biggest point however is no Serbia in the EU means no KiM in the EU. You guys like shooting yourselves in the foot.

Now the biggest problem with Germany is that it's big, wealthy and advanced. As such it simply cannot understand how Serbia can keep kicking its backside. Now that it has the US, UK and France on its side it thinks it has a better chance but I'm pretty sure Germany is going to split Europe once again. The Orthodox countries will be the new border that align mainly with a newly forming eastern block dominated by China with energy supplies coming from Russia. Just wait until Georgia falls next.

The germans lost two wars against serbia.
They only look for revenche.
Please serbia. wake up europe and say no to germans !
(moris, 22 June 2011 19:02)

As it should. Take romanians with you too, I bet Italians would at least thank you.

This isnt even news anymore. Everyone knows what Serbia has to do to join the EU, they have to bend over and grab their ankles;) Its just a matter of time....

Hearing a handful of German MPs speaking their minds it is best to stay calm and rational. Especially now when what they uttered would mean a death call to EU's reputation, or what's left of it.

I'm sure we will pretty soon hear other voices from Berlin, as The Brit suggested.

There will be a third way for solution. That's why we have a thing called politics. For Kosovo Albanians I hardly can imagine worse news than if this latest message was a fact that remains. There would be no hope for them.

A possible third way would be Norway type of a relation between Serbia and the EU.

The "Brit" made the most intelligent comment on this board. And he is right. In about two days there will be an official statement issued from the Germany government explaining that the remarks made by these few visiting German fools does not represent the entire view of the German Government.

"In the end like other posters I'm not convinced at what kind of EU will exist by the time Serbia is called to join. As far as I'm concerned I'm happy to sit in the waiting room, to use EU pre-accession funds, to improve trade agreements, to agree freedom of travel, to improve standards where they need improvement, to crack down on corruption." (bganon)

-- Agreed. Germany must really be suffering from EU fatigue if it sticks to this highly unorthodox principle. Or maybe Germany realizes that by the time Serbia gets its cards in order for EU ascension, the EU will be an economic appendage of Berlin. Personally, I think the EU has garnered such a negative image of itself as both a partial harbinger of the Greek financial crisis as well as a monopolist on economic recovery that anyone still wishing to join its ranks needs to have their head checked. If it really comes down to EU membership at the price of ultimatums - be it Serbia or anyone else, then the EU is not a viable option. That is of course if the EU will even exist by the time new members join.

It's about time that somebody says what has already been known! There is not much to say more. To allow Serbia to join the EU while still refusing to accept reality would be an unnecessary burden for the EU. of course, countries which drain the EU and cheat might see that differently, but those pay the money will not accept that, and best, they don't have to.

The diplomatic rhetoric has been going way to far. Serbian politicians were spinning around with most stupidest statements. That was rubbish and today it is been clarified in the most obvious way. There is no way around Berlin. End of the story.

Thank you very much Germany,it is better to have a true enemy than a "friend" like the US and UK for example who will tell us directly what it demands than to be playing manouvres for the dumb proletariat!
You did us national conservative Serbs a service and I am truely grateful for that!

Kosovo is part of Serbia according to UN1244 and the possibility of Serbia recognizing its southern province simply doesn`t exist!PERIOD!

So now that things have cleared up a little bit for the naive Serbs(idiots who vote for DS and LDP) we can go on with the real business Serbs should focus on:

- ending corruption and burocracy
- reform pension,healthcare systems
- introduce low tax rates
- slash the budget ,trade and account deficits to zero
- invest in infrastructure,education and maximally reindustrialize the country!


We are a country that is blessed with rich and fertile plains(Vojvodina),metal resources,smart but sometimes lazy people,a great geographic postion and we have free access to the the European,US and Russian market!

Lets get rid of this corrupt government and lets start working on it folks,screw the EU, within 5 years it will be finished anyway,look what is happening with Southern Europe!


BTW: Apparently the Germans can`t get over the fact that we kicked their butts real good in the two world wars! LOL

The germans lost two wars against serbia.
They only look for revenche.
Please serbia. wake up europe and say no to germans !
(moris, 22 June 2011 19:02)

Yes, and Einstein's serbian wife discovered the theory of relativity.

"Frau Merkel must head Toma’s Presidential campaign team ! Well done Germany ! At last the masks are off and everybody can see that Serbia will have to kiss 28 asses to enter the club ! Thank the Lord this damned June 22 Deuchland is really uber alles ! At least for Serbia they served a good service.
rote

The Germans can be overbearing and personally I am not a big fan of them.
One thing is however a fact: 66 years ago they were in ruin, totally destroyed and hungry. But they needed only 50-60 years to come back stronger than ever. This time they reign over Europe in a peaceful way.
They are maybe not uber "alles" (above all) but definitely "uber Europa" (above Europe).
By the way congratulations for your German. You seem to master the key words.

So Germany wants a future EU member to act against a UN decision: 1244.
Very strange!

Mind that countries like Spain and Slovakia did not recognize Kosovo. So my question is: Germany and others, how do you ever think that Kosovo can join EU?


By the way: must Georgia recoginze Abkhazia and South Ossetia to join EU?
Why did Georgia not recognize Kosovo by the way? If Kosovo is a unique case....
Why does Israel not recognize Kosovo?

Here we go. Germany all over again. As if it was not enough recongnising Croatian independence prematurely and causing boody war in Bosnia now Kosovo is an obsticle. When will they learn that they should not mingle in other peoples politics just like no one is able to do with German politics. And stop dictating. Are we in domocracy or what?

"The membership negotiations can start and end without a de iure recognition of Kosovo by Serbia, they continued, "but some solutions that will mean a de facto recognition must be accepted". "

Ok, so the Germans will be asking for de facto (not de jure) recognition just before membership is granted ....... at the end of at least 8 years ...... actually I don't see the EU lasting 8 years, at least not in its current economic strength that made it looked attractive from the outside. The German electorate is already up in arms at bailing out Greece again ...... and it ain't gonna end with Greece .... won't surprise me if the German government then were to actually appease their
electorate by LEAVING the EU before Serbia even gets ready to join!

Miri my position is a rational one based on self interest with regard to the EU. I won't repeat myself as I already outlined my reasoning.

As far as Kosovo is concerned Serbia will not bow to Germany on that issue because Germany wants this or that. If agreement on Kosovo is reached it will be because Serbia decides it in conjunction with Kosovo Albanians and with possible involvement of EU countries that may or may not support the Serbian position. If Germany wants to support that compromise when it comes about, it is welcome to, but if this is their official position (and I'm not convinced it is) Germany will not get a look in when compromise is reached.

Take a look at Greece and ask yourselves if you are still tempted by EU-membership. EU membership is nothing. Economic growth is everything.

Nice try Deutschland. But Serbia will never recognize the illegal mafia statelet that you were involved in creating. And Serbia will nerver join your little bankrupt club. The winds are changing. There will come a day when the criminals elite in the west will pay for what they did in Kosovo.

Serbia should not join. Who broke up Yugoslavia and why? Germany starting up again.

This is old. I do not understand why people here are so upset about. Is the word "recognize" upsetting you? Change it. Talks and agreements are already going on. Free movement of people means documents issued by Kosovo government will be accepted by the Serbian policeman at the border. De facto recognition is coming really soon and is what these MPs are saying. If you do not want to use "de facto reecognition" that is perfectly fine, let's use the words "agreements on free movement to improve the life of the people". The substance does not change.

"The Orthodox countries will be the new border that align mainly with a newly forming eastern block dominated by China "
Zoran

Well I doubt very much that Romania and Bulgaria will have the desire to become part of that new estern block of yours. As you know "Eastern Block, Phase I" up to 1990 was not the happiest experience for their citizens. But if some countries out of nostalgy for the "good old times" will try it again nobody will stop them.

This is WW2 revisited. The only difference is back then it was Adolf Hitler who was running Germany and gave ultimatums! So current day climate is nearly every EU country is in dissaray! Greece is bankrupt, Italy is going backwards as are other EU nations. How would Serbia be better off? It wouldn't be. Serbian people should overthrow their government now which was put in by the EU. People power should not be underestimated. Look at Croatia, Montenegro - most of their big businesses and banks are foreign run and owned and no money going back into local economy! that is EU..take from the poor and give to the rich!

now we finally see who really won WWII.
(stari, 22 June 2011 15:42)

Comment -

This is One of the most Insightfull Comments I have read so far.
There are others who are close but this One takes the Price.

However,

there will be another Pricewinner in this Regard.

The Serbian People will Once again Rise,
and show the World and The West,
who the Serbian People Realy are.

Srbia Ja Volim te !!!.

Arn.Sweden.

I am impatiently waiting for what Jeremic has to say about this. It should be a really good show. The best spinning people will ever see that will go down in diplomacy manuals all over the world. There will be a chapter about it and I will drink a shot of Slivo to it.

"The EU is a sinking ship..do NOT jump on the titanic because the iceberg is inches away!!! "
====================================

Funny, on RT someone said "This is the first time they have seen that a rat is trying to jump onto a sinking ship".

Is Serbia so mad that they would actually go through all this humiliation in order to jump onto a sinking ship? Seems they betrayed their heroes for nothing. I don't think Tadic will do so well now.

We are hearing familiar, more then century old threats, coming out of Germany.Hitler/Ribbentrop policy with slightly different packaging.As
smart as they are,have not learn yet to stay out of Serbian domestic affairs.It would be travesty of justice if someone with Germany past
is allowed to redraw Serbia's international borders.Germany at present time is in position to disallowed Serbia's accession to EU.That's said,
I do not believe Kosovo independence alone would be sufficient reason
for rejection.Serbia set tight,do everything needed to join EU with
Kosovo as integral part of Serbia.Serbia is not colonial power therefore,
can not grant independence to minority solely based on birth rate.

"DANKE DEUTSCHLAND!!!!
(Adrian, Tirana, 22 June 2011 21:24)"

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=06&dd=23&nav_id=75066

This is the reality, its a wake up call. The message is very clear: bring your house in order, and stop playing stupid with your people. Thirty something thousand Serbs living in Kosovo are victims and that's all.


And, you should not sit in the place you know you are going to be asked to leave.

Hows that for GULL Serbia,Germany could not destroy you in WW1 or WW2 but now they come one more time to BREAK YOU! What do you think of your GERMAN FRIENDS.....NOW!Wake up Serbs before its to late,and show no support for the TRAITOR TADIC and his JUDAS!

Reading their comments here I don't remember Albanians ever been so openly dependent on Serbia's decisions...

It's like whole independence was wiped away.

Serbia should stop wanting to go into the EU. They will be under EU dictates - actually now they are putting themselves under so many dictates - and to the detriment of Serbia and the Serbian people - to try and please the un-pleasable EU.
Serbia should stay independent of the EU as much as possible. It doesn't mean trade and investment is cut off as this always is going on anyway.

Serbia should stop serving its enemies.

Who cares-i wan`t my rakija made the old fashion way without eurocrats telling me put it in corporation..
And if the Germans think they are still # 1 power in anything-we should remind them China`s goods are so much cheaper..

One thing is for sure. Serbs who are Serbian (ie, citizens of Serbia), will certainly accept this before Serbs who don't live in Serbia.

The talks between Priština and Belgrade must continue," they said of the current Brussels-sponsored dialogue. "At the end of those talks must come the recognition. That goes without saying."

What the Germans said it is not news,it is not a secret and it is not a new condition for Serbia. They are telling you serbs that nobody can force you to recognize Kosovo De Jure.But De Facto you will not be allowed to block Kosovo's membership in international organizations and at the same time expect EU membership for yourself.It is a solution that looks similar to that of the two Germanies.Serbia will not be asked to recognize De Jure but will not be allowed to be hostile towards Kosovo.Tadic should consider this as a big help in solving the Kosovo issue.We might see him mentioning the two Germanies model more often from now on.

...and your army has "tacticly withdrawn" to Greece on a prolonged vacation.
(Iznogoud, 22 June 2011 17:30)


Yep,but when we came back with a fury and crashed their Austro-German empire,too bad for them...
The only bad thing is we didnt create Greater Serbia in 1918 but Yugoslavia,those errors will be corrected some day!

I am against Serbia joining the EU but let me put this statement into real perspective. I would not place too much emphasis on what a group of travelling parliamentary minstrels are saying as it their purpose to so call set out the maximum terms to Belgrade.

If anyone has been to a Middle Eastern bazaar you will understand what I am talking about – you ask how much is that carpet? Oh $100 dollars. No I’ll give you $30 with a reply I cannot do that it would cost me money and so it goes on until you get for $40.

This is exactly what is happening in this case. The EU members that have recognised Kosovo as an independent state would look very foolish to suddenly do a 360 degree backflip plus the US is demanding that the EU’s resolve remains the same.

Now why doesn’t Germany make demands from other EU members that have not recognised an independent Kosovo you might ask? It could place a huge amount of pressure considering it’s the only viable economy in the EU in 2011. Once again the simplest answer is also the right one – Germany really does not place too much emphasis on the issue except for returning Albanian refugees.

All of this is play acting on a large stage. When push comes to shove all will fall into line and the Germans will approve Serbia’s entry regardless of Kosovo as that little region of poverty becomes less and less important to the NATO alliance or what’s left of that alliance.

A Chinese official recently said that they gave NATO the green light to attack Libya because this will break the alliance into pieces as they cannot withstand a lengthy war without permanent damage to their economies. Regardless it’s a win win situation for China and the Russians.

Oh if anyone has noticed that China has been talking to the “rebels”; yes that’s true but it was to tell them that negotiation was the only option and not to recognise them.

@Gjergj Fishta:

Two hundred years? That's all? Last time we had waited something close to 500. This would be piece of cake. And than...

"Germany rules !
Its all bribary.
The germans lost two wars against serbia.
They only look for revenche.
Please serbia. wake up europe and say no to germans !
moris

Maybe they have lost two wars but today they are definitely the bosses of Europe. In other words this time they gained the upper hand piecefully.
They are also the paymasters of Europe. Saying no to them will bring you nowhere. If you want to be part of the EU you have no choice but comply with their requests.

To all who have brought up Hitler and the Nazis, please see Godwin's Law.

You have ended this discussion be feeling the need to bring up Hitler and the Nazis in a desperate attempt to defend and support your pathetic arguments. You have gone completely off topic and brought up a topic which is completely unrelated to the article.

Also I think it is really pathetic that you have to bring up Hitler and the Nazis just because the article involves Germany.
It is just as pathetic as when a topic is about Serbia and people bring up Milosevic and Serbian War Crimes. Completely unrelated and not needed.

If you don't want people doing it to you, don't do it to others!

""Serbia will prevail, there is no doubt about that. it is only a question of time."
Jovan

Wow! Good luck. You will need it.
(Joe, 22 June 2011 19:04)"


no, Joe. it won´t be luck. it will be the result of serbian resolve, patience, struggle and moral strenght.

your albanian mind cannot graps that, I know, but don´t worry, it has nothing to do with luck.

Germany is already today abandoning nuclear energy, and Vladimir over there in Moscow has very likely watched that development with a smile in his face...

I hope you got my point, dude.

The hell with Germans , Nato and EU
Serbs do not need them

Staff,

I think you are misreading the numbers; the truth is that most of the countries included in the 66% have not come to a decision as yet.

My Balkan friends always make me laugh whenever they start having delusions of grandeur and how important they think they are when in reality most are legends only in their own minds.The EU is a market of 500 million people so Serbia with its 7 million is hardly relevant to the EU as a whole but any person who took Economics 101 can tell you it is in Serbia's interest to have access to this market.How about we all agree that a majority vote by the Serbian people as a whole will determine the membership question as regards to recognizing Kosovo in 8 years time?The EU is a VOLUNTARY organization and who says that Romania or Bulgaria are NOT better off today than they would be if they had remained outside of the EU?Not any Romanian or Bulgar that I know and yet some commentators here write nonsense about the EU not existing in 8 years.Any country is FREE to leave the EU at any time and for sure any would leave if it thought it better off to be a non member.A small majority of Swiss and Norwegians do not want full membership as of yet although their economies are practically completely integrated with the EU one.The current crisis in Greece is due to the fact that the Greeks borrowed money and lived high off the hog for many years but now want Germany to subsidize their undeserved and unearned standard of living.If candidate status is good enough for the majority of Serbs for the next 50 years then so be it but should it not be up to the entire Serbian electorate to decide this?

@ Zoran

you should consult other, more updated sources than exclusively Huntigton.

Miri I am not anti EU. As I keep stating I am supporting what I believe will produce the best result for national interests.

My priorities remain higher living standards, less corruption, economic growth, employment etc. All the kinds of things that ordinary people everywhere support. I will say it one more time, if the EU can help achieve these goals then Serbia should join. If Serbia does not gain anything by joining then it will be better not to join.

It is rational to have goals and to react according to how those goals will be fufilled. What would be irrational would be to become fixated on one idea ignoring any contrary evidence.

In Serbia we have both anti Europeans and pro Europeans that don't really look at the arguments, so in that sense I'm in a minority. However, I don't thank a few MP's of a single European state, that is traditionally not an ally of Serbia, should be telling Serbia about what its state / foreign policy should be. That would be a view shared by almost all Serbian citizens.

Perhaps Serbia has dragged its feet but this government has earned the right to some international respect. Nobody expects Germany to change its mind, but a few of their MP's should keep their noses out.

The fact is that nobody knows how long it will take to join the EU, or whether the EU will change in some way before Serbia is offered the chance to join. It might take so long that a deal is made with Kosovo Albanians is done before then - where does that leave ill thought out statement by these MP's?

The "Brit" made the most intelligent comment on this board. And he is right. (Canadian, 22 June 2011 17:28)

Damn! That's a hard-earned reputation for posting gratuitously provocative rubbish flying out of the window :-)

blackmail is not acceptet by ani law in the world way does serbia have
to be forced in to it by so cal ( democratic countrys) rules

Serbia should get this clrearified in writting with EU right now before even starting any negotiation. Be clear about it now rather then 8 years from now. By that time, they will sqeeze little sole that is left of Serbia, and stil, won't become member of EU. Old enemies will want to make you pay for protecting you country during WW2.

pss

According to 1244, Kosovo is a part of Serbia. Therefore, your last post is moot.
(Another Canadian Serb, 22 June 2011 22:00

To the other Canadian Serb:

Kosova's position is that 1244 is moot!

Unfortunately people like 'miri' still do not undertand how the EU functions. The EU cannot legally require Serbia to recognize 'Kosovo' to join the EU as long as 5 states also refuse to recognize 'Kosovo'. 'Unofficial' = "illegal" and can no way be redefined in Brussels to be made acceptable. Then again, as there is no line between illegal and legal in Pristina and Triana, it is not a surprise to read such comments, or have all albanians suddenly become euro experts overnight?

I red the comments in Serbian a few moments ago. I didn't see such a huge enthusiasm about joying EU. It seams that only a few Serbian politicians want to follow that way, but not Serbian people. I do not have any idea what's going on. Can someone help me?

I don't know why you are getting angry over Germany for this?? about 2 years ago it was Sarkozy that made it equally very clear the same thing.

It is your denial that you need to blame. Germany did her catharsis deeply and honestly so today not only has the right but also the obligation to ask from others to do the same. This is how the civilized world works.

Germany is already today abandoning nuclear energy, and Vladimir over there in Moscow has very likely watched that development with a smile in his face...

I hope you got my point, dude.
(Jovan, 23 June 2011 16:41)
Thus making Russia's relationship with Germany probably a 100 times more important than Russia's relationship with Serbia. So your point may possibly be way off its mark--dude!

I confess that I can credit Germany for deferring to Kosovo's belief or insisting that it's sovereign.If pro-independence Kosovars are fortunate than Germany and hopefully other nations who recognize the status of your nation won't abandon you or your beliefs on Kosovo's status that it insists upon.

tch tch tch...

serb posters frothing at the mouth over the obvious.

if anyone is the least bit surprised or upset over this... you have no one to blame but yourself for continuously swallowing the propaganda your leaders spew for YOUR ears only.

EU representatives will never, have never, and still wont specify that serbias recognition is a condition...simply for the fact that a few EU members dont recognize kosovo.

However that NEVER contradicted the reality that the overwhelming majority of eu member states that DO recognize kosovo simply will not accept otherwise from serbia.

it is a very simple concept... unfortunately serb apologists have a particular habit of consistantly sticking their heads in the ground over...

Serbia will never join the EU with kosovo..it simply cannot happen, it has never even been in the realm of possibility.

@another canadian serb

"If Serbia doesn't join the EU, then all of Serbia's neighbours won't be climbing "UP" the EU walls either."

that idea is ludicrous... you must actually buy into the politically correct terms often used by internationals on how serbia is "important", a "key player" and other such niceties used. The motivation for using such terms to describe serbia is a polite way of saying serbia is the number one PROBLEM in the region.

Should serbia choose to shoot itself in the foot and stay out of the eu... that is its business. Why would it affect others?

Unless you are stating a veiled threat that serbia would actively seek to destabilize others more than it already does... So long as serbia keeps its blunders to itself, there is no reason for it deter the rest of the region from getting there acts together.

And the answer of the Peoples heart of Srbia will be -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koZkio7gD6s

Whom has said that Srbia is small ?.

Orao,Svedska.

Germany demands the Soul of Srbia but the answer will be -

Yugoslavia read Srbia -

http://www.ourchurch.com/member/e/e/index.php?p=1_10_Yugoslavia

Srbia Ja Volim te !!!.

Orao.Svedska.

Thanks bganon, I agree with what you wrote in the last comment.

One last thing. If EU is good for Serbia, and I believe this assessment has already been made, why not use K-Recognition to speed up EU accession? I'm pretty sure that if Serbia agrees to recognize Kosova, a much better and faster deal will be reached with Serbia to get into EU.
Why not? Just because Jeremic would look stupid? Who cares about Jeremic career?

The game being played is so clear. Serbia has been told informally and unofficially so many times that it will not be accepted into EU without recognizing Kosova. In reality this translates that Serbia will always lag being on some unimplemented law, on some taxation rule, on some trade agreement and so on and so forth, while it will be told behind back doors to get rid of that K-problem and all the other issues will go away.

I can guarantee you that no EU official in the office will tell Serbia openly to recognize Kosova. No one will give Mr. Jeremic the satisfaction to play hard ball openly and claim that his is the incarnation of Milo Obilic. This is not a theater. Mr. Jeremeic's image abroad is that of a nationalist and there is no intend to let him show-off his radical views which he seems to be doing at every chance possible.

Serbia cannot play dumb forever and longer it takes to play the game seriously, longer it will drag its feet in the mud.

pss

According to 1244, Kosovo is a part of Serbia. Therefore, your last post is moot.
(Another Canadian Serb, 22 June 2011 22:00)
So you say, not only do the most powerful countries in the world disagree with you(even your new found homeland), Just ask yourself a big question.
Where are the Serbian politicians, where are the Serbian military, where are the Serbian police? Across the border. Everytime Serbia is upset with something that happens in Kosovo, do they take action? No they complain to the UN. Notice another article in todays B92 Serbian minister says the Kumanovo agreement needs to change. Can Serbia do that? no, What does the Kumanovo agreement say? Should Serbian forces try to enter Kosovo they will meet face to face with NATO and it is their duty to keep Serbia out.
Doesn't sound like my post is"moot" from where I am sitting.

Germany wants world War III don't they, well if it has to be The Germans are gon how too kill every Serb before we recognize Kosovo and thats that. they cannot have Serbian land at any price. president tadic might not resist but The Serbian People will.

Unfortunately bureaucrats like you Mr. Bureaucrat do not understand that you cannot break a wall with your head because your head will break first.

Thanks for reading my comment.

Whoever doubted that Serbia will get in the EU without recognising Kosovo. This a the answer.
Serbia should start practising good neighbourly relations with Kosovo.
But in its own time.

I knew that this would happen. The EU promised that recognition of Kosovo would not be a condition for EU candidacy. But I always knew that to enter the EU, the Kosovo problem would have to be solved. The Serbian people have two options; a)join the EU , b)isolate yourself from the west.
All it takes is recognizing that you have no control of the fate of Kosovo, it's a reality, you have all ready lost it, why not profit from simply recognizing a reality?

Then neither KiM, BiH or Serbia will get in and if EU ascension becomes impossible then it'll give us a free hand to re-integrate KiM without compromise and to clean up the messes in Sandzak and Presevo Valley. Either way we WILL bleed the EU dry with S.Stream transit fees forever.

What is the point of giving Kosovo away in order to join the EU and NATO.

The EU will probably be desolved the day after Serbia gains membership.

Then what????

No car!
No job!
No money!
No diginity!

and most of all

No Kosovo!

The war on Serbia has never ended. Serbia has a better chance of surviving by signing over the deeds to Russia.

Honestly, did anybody in Serbia thought that Serbia can join EU otherwise.
Please explain to me how.
Everybody with some sense knew that.
The fact that you guys believed your leaders fairy tale stories is your fault.
You can still put your heads in the barrel and pretend you did not hear this news, it is your right.
The other thing: I find fascinating is when I read articles from some in this forum that still believe that Kosovo will in some magical way be part of Serbia again.
Not trying to offend anybody but there are more chances for China to be a part of Serbia.
You can still dream of course.

I can see only one way for that to be possible – US and NATO Disappears and Russia is the only supper power left.
I cannot say what will happen in 200 years time but I can guaranty you that it will not happen sooner.

You do have choices though.
1. Not join EU
a. Kosovo is gone anyway
b. Stay where you are
c. Move backwards
d. Use Serbs in Kosovo for your political gains
e. Spend millions you do not have trying to cling on to something you don’t own
f. Question:
i. Is all of that worth for a dream (something you never had and will never have)
2. Recognise Kosovo
a. Move a step closer to the rest of Europe
b. Improve business relations with Kosovo and Albania (a substantial market I would say)
c. Genuinely help Serbs in Kosovo without using them
d. Keep your millions you would spend in Kosovo and invest them more wisely

Just to confirm: with everyday passing by, your anti Albanian attitude is assisting the creation of your worst nightmare – The Greater Albania.
Your previous leaders (Milosevic and the ones before him) gave birth to Kosovo.
Your existing leaders are in a good path of giving birth to the Grater Albania.

DANKE DEUTSCHLAND!!!!

A handful of German MPs cannot make that sort of condition, especially when there is no EU-wide consensus on Kosovan UDI. The EU cannot have the other Balkan states in the Union unless Serbia is. Wait for the immediate denials and eventual fudge/compromise on this question.

There you have it!

Can it be more clear for you?

Tung

If this isn’t the final straw then I don’t want to see how far this Serbian government will go. A message needs to be sent back to Germany. In my opinion, this is the biggest slap in the face to date, and it was delivered in person at that. Enough is enough Serbia.

The Instigator behind the break-up of Yugoslavia,
has continued its more than 100-year long policy against Srbia,
and now demands a full capitulation to this Century-long hostility.

What an Looser this Tadic Government is,
and now also losing suport from the Serbian People and History,
whom Yadic have gambled with and lost.

What now -

Should Tadic Wag his Tail the more and continue his downward path or change course ?.

I think he is lost forever.

GOD bevere Srbia in and for the Future for what is now to come.

Arn.Sweden.

Next we'll be required to convert to Catholicism. Then we'll have to have blue eyes and blonde hair.

Finally an admission that Tadic's "no alternative to EU" policy is completely flawed. As I have mentioned, Tadic would sell everything he has and these people would laugh at him and still ask for more.

I really don't believe Serbia will enter the EU or whether the EU will be recognisable (as it is now) in the next decade. Cycles repeat and unfortunately the world is heading into rough waters. Think 100 years back as an indication of what the future might bring.

The problem here is not Serbia but the rigidity of the west. That will be their undoing. The Orthodox world (including Greece, Romania and Bulgaria) will soon see that the EU is not for them.

The Germans hate the Serbs for the role Serbs played in kicking Germany's ass in WWI and WWII. "Serbien musst sterbien" was the old credo and it still exists for the Germans. After playing a key role in the dismemberment of Yugoslavia (the German secret service had been at this ever since the 70s), Germany further wants to control and humiliate Serbia and Serbs.

highduke wrote: "KiM, BiH or Serbia will get in and if EU". Well, you just mentioned that Kosova is independent as Serbia and Bosnia are...read what you wrote.

Germany rules !
Its all bribary.
The germans lost two wars against serbia.
They only look for revenche.
Please serbia. wake up europe and say no to germans !

bganon, I only hope that your reasoning is rational as you say but it doesn't look like it. And I'm not the only one to notice that by the way.

Since when did you turn out to be so anti-EU?
Since when all the Serbs here turned to be so anti-EU?

You can deny it but unfortunately even for you the decision to join EU is still made based on whether EU(a.k.a Germany as for this article)asks Serbia to recognize Kosova, and not based on whether there is a political or economic interest for Serbia to join EU. If I am wrong then why you turned so abruptly against EU?

If I am wrong, then forgive me, but I don't see it otherwise and the problem is that you still see Kosova as a political loss without understanding that you cannot lose what you don't have.

In a more pragmatic way ( and honestly I believe this is going to happen) Serbian government can negotiate the acceptance of K. into UN, for an EU ticket but not formally recognizing Kosova as a country. It will be a total b.s but not much different than the b.s of claiming Kosova is Serbia. That will mean that the radical part of the Serbian society can still continue with the old slogan, but will not hold hostage that part of Serbian society that see the reality in the face everyday.

Another Canadian Serb,
Serbia would ge giving up something they do not and never will have again. Even if the move for independence never progresses it would as part of 1244 forever remain a UN protectorate not part of Serbia. This is the part I do not understand is all these efforts are so Serbia can claim Kosovo in name only, there is no actual ownership or control being considered.
highduke, you never disappoint. You and your transit fees. If you think you would be able to inflict a paper cut on EU with the pipeline then maybe you should get to know the people who control 51% of your energy market. 51% decides everything and the other 49% is just along for the ride. You will have no more control over the pipeline than you do over Kosovo.

You know, the last time a bunch of Germans made a number of demands on Serbia like this an Archducke was shot and a world war erupted. Germans just don't learn from history :)

...and your army has "tacticly withdrawn" to Greece on a prolonged vacation.
(Iznogoud, 22 June 2011 17:30)


Yep,but when we came back with a fury and crashed their Austro-German empire,too bad for them...
The only bad thing is we didnt create Greater Serbia in 1918 but Yugoslavia,those errors will be corrected some day!

pss

According to 1244, Kosovo is a part of Serbia. Therefore, your last post is moot.

This was always the case, EU membership will just be a carrot on a stick to Serbia until it recognises Kosovo. Other countries will also demand that Serbia recognises Kosovo before Serbia can join too. UK, France, Italy, Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden, Hungary ect.

Here we go. Germany all over again. As if it was not enough recongnising Croatian independence prematurely and causing boody war in Bosnia now Kosovo is an obsticle. When will they learn that they should not mingle in other peoples politics just like no one is able to do with German politics. And stop dictating. Are we in domocracy or what?

Goodbye, Europe. It was nice knowing you.

A number of German MP's can demand what they like, but if they think they can dictate Serbian policy on Kosovo they can think again.

Germany should be reminded that throughout history its record in meddling in the Balkans has hardly been positive. Frankly these MP's should proceed with a little more respect towards today's Serbia, which is supposed to be some kind of partner.

In the end like other posters I'm not convinced at what kind of EU will exist by the time Serbia is called to join. As far as I'm concerned I'm happy to sit in the waiting room, to use EU pre-accession funds, to improve trade agreements, to agree freedom of travel, to improve standards where they need improvement, to crack down on corruption.

But these things I support for the sake of Serbia and its citizens. If Serbia won't be let in anyway and certain EU 'standards' harm the Serbian interest they should not be implemented.

There is no point in going through the pain if there is not to be a greater gain.

now we finally see who really won WWII.
(stari, 22 June 2011 15:42)

Comment -

This is One of the most Insightfull Comments I have read so far.
There are others who are close but this One takes the Price.

However,

there will be another Pricewinner in this Regard.

The Serbian People will Once again Rise,
and show the World and The West,
who the Serbian People Realy are.

Srbia Ja Volim te !!!.

Arn.Sweden.

I've said it many times. EU doesn't want another Cyprus. They have enough problems already.

As far as I'm concerned I'm happy to sit in the waiting room, to use EU pre-accession funds, to improve trade agreements, to agree freedom of travel, to improve standards where they need improvement, to crack down on corruption.
(bganon, 22 June 2011 15:24)
--
You seem like a changed person lately. What happened? The above is spot on.

Also, to my Albanian friends here, you seems to be missing a big point. If this is an impossible obstacle put before Serbia then many many many Serbians will be welcoming this news. Not only will it prevent Serbia joining the EU (which is great news) but it also exposes Tadic's flawed policy. The biggest point however is no Serbia in the EU means no KiM in the EU. You guys like shooting yourselves in the foot.

Now the biggest problem with Germany is that it's big, wealthy and advanced. As such it simply cannot understand how Serbia can keep kicking its backside. Now that it has the US, UK and France on its side it thinks it has a better chance but I'm pretty sure Germany is going to split Europe once again. The Orthodox countries will be the new border that align mainly with a newly forming eastern block dominated by China with energy supplies coming from Russia. Just wait until Georgia falls next.

If Serbia doesn't join the EU, then all of Serbia's neighbours won't be climbing "UP" the EU walls either. There will be neighbouring consequences if Serbia doesn't join the EU; especially for the residents of Kosovo.

The only thing going "UP" in Kosovo will be smoke!

For Germany or shall i say the USA, this is really about ripping Kosovo away from Serbia and not about whether Serbia will join the EU.

The EU will immediately abandon Serbia once Serbia recognizes Kosovo as a separate state.
(Another Canadian Serb, 22 June 2011 19:11)
# Comment link

According to you and others Kosovo never had a chance joining the EU once Serbia did so why should anyone think that this is hurting Kosovo's chances?
And if you are talking about Kosovo going up in smoke, cheap talk from a pseudo nationalist living 4000 miles away. You see NATO needs no new UN mandate to defend Kosovo, they have it in 1244, you know the proSerbian document.
highduke,
All I can say is first learn economics, and 2nd learn Russian economics. I doubt anyone in the EU will ever lose a nights sleep nor go without heat due to the pipeline flowing through Serbia. So dream on.

Finally someone has the guts to say what everyone has known since talks of joining the EU started. I would say that the same goes for a majority of EU countries. Now maybe some of you that keep mentioning the number 5, realize that your problem is 22, Kosovo's problem is 5, a much smaller obstacle.

This has been a fact from the beginning!
It is time for the Serbs to wake up and realize that either they can join the EU and once again become "raped" or they have to stand up for Serbia and defend her honour!

I have always laughed when Serbs said they dont have to recognize Kosovo to join European Union.

As Germany is the Master of Europe, now the last stupid Serb knows that they have to recognize Kosovo.

Germany will demand that Serbia recognises Kosovo to enter EU

You have to be naïve to believe that Serbia could enter the EU without not having sorted its border disputes first.
Actually we need to applaud BRD for being strait and honest about it and not giving Serb people some sort of false hope.

"A number of German MP's can demand what they like, but if they think they can dictate Serbian policy on Kosovo they can think again."

Germany should be reminded that throughout history its record in meddling in the Balkans has hardly been positive. Frankly these MP's should proceed with a little more respect towards today's Serbia, which is supposed to be some kind of partner.

In the end like other posters I'm not convinced at what kind of EU will exist by the time Serbia is called to join. As far as I'm concerned I'm happy to sit in the waiting room, to use EU pre-accession funds, to improve trade agreements, to agree freedom of travel, to improve standards where they need improvement, to crack down on corruption.

But these things I support for the sake of Serbia and its citizens. If Serbia won't be let in anyway and certain EU 'standards' harm the Serbian interest they should not be implemented.

There is no point in going through the pain if there is not to be a greater gain.
(bganon, 22 June 2011 15:24)


Please bganon, don't be dramatic. Serbia is trying to join a club where Germany has a lot to say. Whether you like it or not Serbia cannot dictate the rules on how to join the club, it's the other way around. Serbia might not like this particular condition, but I'm sure Serbia and many other countries have not liked many other rules dictated by EU, when joined, and still had to comply. At the end of the day it is Serbian people living in Serbia who will decide what to do and not Serbian diaspora (no pun intended). Election are just around the corner and in reality there is no other force, than current government that can collect enough votes to lead the country. Serbian opposition is pathetic with a leader who fakes hunger strikes.

As the role of Germany in the Ballkans, what can you say about Russia's role then? It enslaved all Ballkan countries (excluding Greece and to some extend Yugoslavia) for half a century with it's Soviet melodrama. Afterall it depends who you ask on the role of Germany in the Ballkans and elsewhere.

Government of Serbia is between a rock and a hard place.
The choices are: Make concrete steps towards joining EU and pay the price for it, or continue with a failed policy of empty rhetoric, pretending that Kosova belongs to Serbia based on Resolution 1244. I mean, how many blunders it will take, (Kumanovo agreement, EULEX acceptance as envisioned by Ahtisaari, ICJ failure, UNGA resolution about technical talks, 76 quality recognitions) and how many more years (12 already have past) to come to the terms that Serbia lost the war and with it lost Kosova. Who could think in his/her right mind that after all this, Kosova will be re-integrated back to Serbia?

This is no time for high emotions. If Serbian people believe that they should not join EU, then they should not, regardless of any of Germany's or EU conditions. But if Serbian people decide to stay out of EU because of this particular condition, then this is purely madness since nothing will change for Serbia to get a hold on to Kosova, whether joining EU or not.
The question once again is for Serbian people to answer: Should Serbia join EU or NOT, regardless of K-issue.

(rote, 22 June 2011 19:13)

Just think about the coincidence!
70 years ago those Germanic hordes attacked Slavic Russia with the intention to rape ,murder and steal Slavic land until the Ural!
They got their butts handed to them,lost the war and the territories they stole from Slavic Poles in the Middle Ages(East Prussia,Silesia,Pommerania etc.)as a result!
Now,exactly 70 years later on this day they again try to steal Serbian Slavic land (Kosovo) ...

Just look and listen patiently my dear Serbs,SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE!
Who doesn`t learn from history is bound to repeat it!

They will loose this time like they lost in WW1 and WW2,the EU has already started to dismember,just watch closely...

hahahahahhagagagagagagga recognize or you will be back to your caves in the carpaths

Hahahaha....What a joke and what pure bulls¤¤t! A few German MP:s voice their stance. I can tell you honestly, I have heard such things about the K Albanians coming from German MP:s, German intelligence, German diplomats and German police, that I would not dare write it here. First of all its all to rude. Secondly, some of it is classified. Now, some common sense. There will NOT be any pressure against Serbia to recognize its southern province.
61% of the world countries see Kosovo as a Serbian province. According to UN, EU, OSCE, FIFA, IOC etc as organisations, Kosovo is a Serbian province and nothing else. (Check thier homepages) Also, some of the EU countries that has not recognized Kosovo has said that they will not recognize Kosovo even if Serbia did it. So thats for the amusement this little column created among the K Albanians. What a canard.

Thank you very much Germany,it is better to have a true enemy than a "friend" like the US and UK for example who will tell us directly what it demands than to be playing manouvres for the dumb proletariat!
You did us national conservative Serbs a service and I am truely grateful for that!

Kosovo is part of Serbia according to UN1244 and the possibility of Serbia recognizing its southern province simply doesn`t exist!PERIOD!

So now that things have cleared up a little bit for the naive Serbs(idiots who vote for DS and LDP) we can go on with the real business Serbs should focus on:

- ending corruption and burocracy
- reform pension,healthcare systems
- introduce low tax rates
- slash the budget ,trade and account deficits to zero
- invest in infrastructure,education and maximally reindustrialize the country!


We are a country that is blessed with rich and fertile plains(Vojvodina),metal resources,smart but sometimes lazy people,a great geographic postion and we have free access to the the European,US and Russian market!

Lets get rid of this corrupt government and lets start working on it folks,screw the EU, within 5 years it will be finished anyway,look what is happening with Southern Europe!


BTW: Apparently the Germans can`t get over the fact that we kicked their butts real good in the two world wars! LOL

WAKE UP SERBIA !!!! if they demand your esteem, soul and history, but then say MAYBE in a decade or so.. provided your a "broken down enough peoples" ..then theyre REALLY an enemy !! to be scared of Dont we understand they have made the choice "no serbia in eu" Look at how much better Turkey is doing since it stopped fooling itself and moved on !!

Herr Otto THE EU master and commander is speaking loud and clear...recognize Kosovo and surrender THE MILITARY POLICY to Nato...nothing new really but for the first time these things have been said clearly without all the diplomatic jargon... now it's up to Serbia to decide what to do on their Eu path because as i always said the keys are in Berlin not in Brussels...

You know, the last time a bunch of Germans made a number of demands on Serbia like this an Archducke was shot and a world war erupted.
***
...and your army has "tacticly withdrawn" to Greece on a prolonged vacation.

miri!

If Serbia doesn't join the EU, then all of Serbia's neighbours won't be climbing "UP" the EU walls either. There will be neighbouring consequences if Serbia doesn't join the EU; especially for the residents of Kosovo.

The only thing going "UP" in Kosovo will be smoke!

For Germany or shall i say the USA, this is really about ripping Kosovo away from Serbia and not about whether Serbia will join the EU.

The EU will immediately abandon Serbia once Serbia recognizes Kosovo as a separate state.

One thing is for sure. Serbs who are Serbian (ie, citizens of Serbia), will certainly accept this before Serbs who don't live in Serbia.

if only this was really true!

the EU needs Serbia more inside the EU than Serbia needs the EU at all! so, it would be in Serbia´s interest that, no matter what, something prevents Belgrade from joining this multinational-prison.

as for the future-prospects, with the BRICS-states as partners, and with Russia and China as strategic partners, Serbia can look ahead quite relaxed.

Serbia will prevail, there is no doubt about that. it is only a question of time.

LOL at Albanian posters on b92 saying I TOLD YOU SO. So what? Joining the EU did nothing for Romania and Bulgaria and they got to keep their whole country intact. Why would Serbia be any different. But this is actually bad news for Alboz because if Serbia gives up on joining the EU, they will make much more concrete steps at regaining their southern province back.

That should worry you albs, because Serbia's worst mistake is the BEST thing you can hope for.

Sad isn't it?

Too bad that "Kosova" will keep running into the Cypriot and other EU "Kosova"-ignoring walls and it is clear that German MPs will not go to Moscow or Beijing and talk with the same tone and attitude to the Russians and Chinese. The Germans finally did Serbia and the Serbs a favor. Still no short and long term UN, EU, IOC, FIFA. UEFA and the list goes on prospects for "Kosova".

This isnt even news anymore. Everyone knows what Serbia has to do to join the EU, they have to bend over and grab their ankles;) Its just a matter of time....

"Serbia will prevail, there is no doubt about that. it is only a question of time."
Jovan

Wow! Good luck. You will need it.

A handful of German MPs cannot make that sort of condition, especially when there is no EU-wide consensus on Kosovan UDI. The EU cannot have the other Balkan states in the Union unless Serbia is. Wait for the immediate denials and eventual fudge/compromise on this question.
(The Brit, 22 June 2011 14:42)

Yes they can and yes they will. Every single EU country must approve every candidate member after the negotiations are complete. So Serbia will need all 27 governments to agree to its membership and probably Croatia and Iceland too who'll be members when Serbia finishes negotiations. So lets say 26 out of the 27 say yes to Serbia's membership, Serbia still can't join until all 27 say yes. The same applies to all countries, Slovenia has threatened to block Croatia's membership until they resolve a boarder dispute. France even vetoed the UK thanks to that two faced twat De Gaulle who was a guest in Britain during WW2.

Regarding doubts raised about S.Stream transit fees: each member is allowed to negotiate its own transit fees, so it's not the 51/49 split in fees between Gazprom & Belgrade but the price per unit payed by the customer and since us & Russia aren't strictly formal business partners then we can expect a carte blanche to set higher prices for customers who have no other option. Wait and see. Check the archives I haven't been wrong about any prediction.

Forget the EU! If they do not want us in without a total and complete capitulation of Serbia to the European Union there we must find an alternative. That alternative is the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). If they choose to push us away, then we can choose to be nudged in the direction of Russia. A country who has been our greatest ally unlike neo-Austria-Hungary that is the European Union.

GOOD! Best news I've heard. Thank you Germany and Holland for keeping Serbia out of the European Union, the best thing you've done for Serbs.

The EU is a sinking ship..do NOT jump on the titanic because the iceberg is inches away!!!

Nema Predaje

I've said all along that Tadic and co will have to arrest Hadzic, betray Republika Srpska, recognize Kosovo and join NATO to join the EU. Damn, with these options on the table I would rather choose to be bombed again.
Serbia, wote aginst Tadic and his euroasskissers in the next election.

Staff,

I think you are misreading the numbers; the truth is that most of the countries included in the 66% have not come to a decision as yet.

The "Brit" made the most intelligent comment on this board. And he is right. In about two days there will be an official statement issued from the Germany government explaining that the remarks made by these few visiting German fools does not represent the entire view of the German Government.

"The talks between Priština and Belgrade must continue," they said of the current Brussels-sponsored dialogue. "At the end of those talks must come the recognition. That goes without saying."

"That goes without saying."

The best quote for today and ever after.

@ Zoran

you should consult other, more updated sources than exclusively Huntigton.

This is no surprise to anyone at all, finally it has been said out in the open. This is the time where we will see whether Tadic cares about his country and his people, or whether he will whore himself and Serbia to the EU, I am certain that it will be the latter of the two. Tadic can no longer run around moaning about how Serbia cannot join without Kosovo. The fact is that Germany is such a huge power in the EU that they can make such demands and Serbia cannot bargain with Germany or the whole of the EU, Germany is the first to make such demands and other EU countries will support this move. I hope to God that Serbia will wake up to this horror and punish Tadic's entire regime before it is too late.

I hope the naive yellows finaly wake up. It's humorous to me, because I've talked to many Serbs who think Germany is our new partner, trying to help us. Wake up! How stupid can one be? Germany has never been our friend, was the key anti-Serb force in the EU which bullied the other members into premature recognition, and will never forgive Serbia for bringing down their empires in both WWI and WWII. Germany knows who their lapdog allies are in the Balkans, and has supported them and their attrocities agains Serbs. The same can not be said for the UK, France, and the US, who have forgotten who their ally is, and completely betrayed Serbia.
Now that Serbia has free trade and visa free travel with the EU, that is all we need. Serbia can use the Dinar as a trade advantage with the rest of the EU, and weaken it and trade its way out of any recession if need be. Greece can not do this since they are tied to the Euro, and you are seeing the results of that flawed policy right now. Serbia needs to stand up and show Germany the middle finger, and tell them to stick their EU membership where the sun doesn't shine.
Cheers!!

Yes they can and yes they will. Every single EU country must approve every candidate member after the negotiations are complete. So Serbia will need all 27 governments to agree to its membership (Ian, UK, 22 June 2011 15:19)

You're missing my point: this clumsily reported story concerns the alleged private remarks of members of a group of visiting parliamentarians - it does NOT represent the views of the German government. Parliament will have to ratify the accession but, even assuming that there is a majority in the Bundestag for this sort of conditionality (which I doubt), this isn't the issue which they're going to bring down the government over.

You could take a party of Serbian MPs to Germany now and they'd come out in favour of recognition, so long as they were all from the LDP. It would still mean nothing in terms of government policy. Our own dear George Galloway MP and the Respect Party were in favour of close fraternal relations with Saddam Hussein, but we still went to war. The bizarre opinions of backbenh MPs are irrelevant in terms of foreign policy.

Expect an emphatic denial from the German ambassador by this evening.

A possible third way would be Norway type of a relation between Serbia and the EU.
(Olli, 22 June 2011 16:32)

When Serbia reaches better living standards than EU, than it can decide to stay out of EU, until then, comparing Serbia to Norway is utterly nonsense.

It's about time that somebody says what has already been known! There is not much to say more. To allow Serbia to join the EU while still refusing to accept reality would be an unnecessary burden for the EU. of course, countries which drain the EU and cheat might see that differently, but those pay the money will not accept that, and best, they don't have to.

The diplomatic rhetoric has been going way to far. Serbian politicians were spinning around with most stupidest statements. That was rubbish and today it is been clarified in the most obvious way. There is no way around Berlin. End of the story.

Thanks bganon, I agree with what you wrote in the last comment.

One last thing. If EU is good for Serbia, and I believe this assessment has already been made, why not use K-Recognition to speed up EU accession? I'm pretty sure that if Serbia agrees to recognize Kosova, a much better and faster deal will be reached with Serbia to get into EU.
Why not? Just because Jeremic would look stupid? Who cares about Jeremic career?

The game being played is so clear. Serbia has been told informally and unofficially so many times that it will not be accepted into EU without recognizing Kosova. In reality this translates that Serbia will always lag being on some unimplemented law, on some taxation rule, on some trade agreement and so on and so forth, while it will be told behind back doors to get rid of that K-problem and all the other issues will go away.

I can guarantee you that no EU official in the office will tell Serbia openly to recognize Kosova. No one will give Mr. Jeremic the satisfaction to play hard ball openly and claim that his is the incarnation of Milo Obilic. This is not a theater. Mr. Jeremeic's image abroad is that of a nationalist and there is no intend to let him show-off his radical views which he seems to be doing at every chance possible.

Serbia cannot play dumb forever and longer it takes to play the game seriously, longer it will drag its feet in the mud.

This is old. I do not understand why people here are so upset about. Is the word "recognize" upsetting you? Change it. Talks and agreements are already going on. Free movement of people means documents issued by Kosovo government will be accepted by the Serbian policeman at the border. De facto recognition is coming really soon and is what these MPs are saying. If you do not want to use "de facto reecognition" that is perfectly fine, let's use the words "agreements on free movement to improve the life of the people". The substance does not change.

"Germany rules !
Its all bribary.
The germans lost two wars against serbia.
They only look for revenche.
Please serbia. wake up europe and say no to germans !
moris

Maybe they have lost two wars but today they are definitely the bosses of Europe. In other words this time they gained the upper hand piecefully.
They are also the paymasters of Europe. Saying no to them will bring you nowhere. If you want to be part of the EU you have no choice but comply with their requests.

tch tch tch...

serb posters frothing at the mouth over the obvious.

if anyone is the least bit surprised or upset over this... you have no one to blame but yourself for continuously swallowing the propaganda your leaders spew for YOUR ears only.

EU representatives will never, have never, and still wont specify that serbias recognition is a condition...simply for the fact that a few EU members dont recognize kosovo.

However that NEVER contradicted the reality that the overwhelming majority of eu member states that DO recognize kosovo simply will not accept otherwise from serbia.

it is a very simple concept... unfortunately serb apologists have a particular habit of consistantly sticking their heads in the ground over...

Serbia will never join the EU with kosovo..it simply cannot happen, it has never even been in the realm of possibility.

@another canadian serb

"If Serbia doesn't join the EU, then all of Serbia's neighbours won't be climbing "UP" the EU walls either."

that idea is ludicrous... you must actually buy into the politically correct terms often used by internationals on how serbia is "important", a "key player" and other such niceties used. The motivation for using such terms to describe serbia is a polite way of saying serbia is the number one PROBLEM in the region.

Should serbia choose to shoot itself in the foot and stay out of the eu... that is its business. Why would it affect others?

Unless you are stating a veiled threat that serbia would actively seek to destabilize others more than it already does... So long as serbia keeps its blunders to itself, there is no reason for it deter the rest of the region from getting there acts together.

Poor old german MPs. They think German is the EU. They are not. They cannot force the 5 non-recognizing member states to change their minds so they require Serbia to give up Kosovo voluntarily. I wonder who among the commentards understands the word 'voluntary' and that it does not mean 'forced'?

It is still for the Serbs to choose and they have quite some time to decide what kind of relationship they want with the EU. They do not need to become an EU ms to have european standards of living, rather hard work and reforms that are done for the benefit of their own citizens. One step short of membership will be fine. The pipelines are still going to be built, Serbia will still become an integrated part of european commerce, energy, transport and communications strategy. It can't be frozen out because of its geographic nature and as we saw from the balkans wars, such punishments will also punish its neighbors as states have only become more interdependent on each other since the end of the Cold War.

The realities of the EU is proof that being in the EU is not all it is cracked up to be. This is born out by both the citizens of Bulgaria and Romania who were promised a land of milk and honey on joining. It hasn't happened because their politicians were supposed to reform their states before joining, not just making promises to be fulfilled at a later date. They are still both deeply corrupt, suffering rising costs of basic goods, and lacking jobs.

Even if what this parliamentary committee says generally reflected amongst other EU states (which it is not), then that is fine. Serbia can use accession to get its house in order and on a western level. It doesn't have to join. It can watch 'Kosovo' and Albania join first instead, in the year 2120...

@Gjergj Fishta:

Two hundred years? That's all? Last time we had waited something close to 500. This would be piece of cake. And than...

The germans lost two wars against serbia.
They only look for revenche.
Please serbia. wake up europe and say no to germans !
(moris, 22 June 2011 19:02)

As it should. Take romanians with you too, I bet Italians would at least thank you.

pss

According to 1244, Kosovo is a part of Serbia. Therefore, your last post is moot.
(Another Canadian Serb, 22 June 2011 22:00

To the other Canadian Serb:

Kosova's position is that 1244 is moot!

Germany demands the Soul of Srbia but the answer will be -

Yugoslavia read Srbia -

http://www.ourchurch.com/member/e/e/index.php?p=1_10_Yugoslavia

Srbia Ja Volim te !!!.

Orao.Svedska.

To all who have brought up Hitler and the Nazis, please see Godwin's Law.

You have ended this discussion be feeling the need to bring up Hitler and the Nazis in a desperate attempt to defend and support your pathetic arguments. You have gone completely off topic and brought up a topic which is completely unrelated to the article.

Also I think it is really pathetic that you have to bring up Hitler and the Nazis just because the article involves Germany.
It is just as pathetic as when a topic is about Serbia and people bring up Milosevic and Serbian War Crimes. Completely unrelated and not needed.

If you don't want people doing it to you, don't do it to others!

I don't know why you are getting angry over Germany for this?? about 2 years ago it was Sarkozy that made it equally very clear the same thing.

It is your denial that you need to blame. Germany did her catharsis deeply and honestly so today not only has the right but also the obligation to ask from others to do the same. This is how the civilized world works.

""Serbia will prevail, there is no doubt about that. it is only a question of time."
Jovan

Wow! Good luck. You will need it.
(Joe, 22 June 2011 19:04)"


no, Joe. it won´t be luck. it will be the result of serbian resolve, patience, struggle and moral strenght.

your albanian mind cannot graps that, I know, but don´t worry, it has nothing to do with luck.

Germany is already today abandoning nuclear energy, and Vladimir over there in Moscow has very likely watched that development with a smile in his face...

I hope you got my point, dude.

Germany is already today abandoning nuclear energy, and Vladimir over there in Moscow has very likely watched that development with a smile in his face...

I hope you got my point, dude.
(Jovan, 23 June 2011 16:41)
Thus making Russia's relationship with Germany probably a 100 times more important than Russia's relationship with Serbia. So your point may possibly be way off its mark--dude!

Who cares-i wan`t my rakija made the old fashion way without eurocrats telling me put it in corporation..
And if the Germans think they are still # 1 power in anything-we should remind them China`s goods are so much cheaper..

"Do it or else" Just like the Nazis; however the Serbs, as history has shown, always seem to pick "or else"

So Germany wants a future EU member to act against a UN decision: 1244.
Very strange!

Mind that countries like Spain and Slovakia did not recognize Kosovo. So my question is: Germany and others, how do you ever think that Kosovo can join EU?


By the way: must Georgia recoginze Abkhazia and South Ossetia to join EU?
Why did Georgia not recognize Kosovo by the way? If Kosovo is a unique case....
Why does Israel not recognize Kosovo?

Serbia should not join. Who broke up Yugoslavia and why? Germany starting up again.

"The membership negotiations can start and end without a de iure recognition of Kosovo by Serbia, they continued, "but some solutions that will mean a de facto recognition must be accepted". "

Ok, so the Germans will be asking for de facto (not de jure) recognition just before membership is granted ....... at the end of at least 8 years ...... actually I don't see the EU lasting 8 years, at least not in its current economic strength that made it looked attractive from the outside. The German electorate is already up in arms at bailing out Greece again ...... and it ain't gonna end with Greece .... won't surprise me if the German government then were to actually appease their
electorate by LEAVING the EU before Serbia even gets ready to join!

Miri my position is a rational one based on self interest with regard to the EU. I won't repeat myself as I already outlined my reasoning.

As far as Kosovo is concerned Serbia will not bow to Germany on that issue because Germany wants this or that. If agreement on Kosovo is reached it will be because Serbia decides it in conjunction with Kosovo Albanians and with possible involvement of EU countries that may or may not support the Serbian position. If Germany wants to support that compromise when it comes about, it is welcome to, but if this is their official position (and I'm not convinced it is) Germany will not get a look in when compromise is reached.

The talks between Priština and Belgrade must continue," they said of the current Brussels-sponsored dialogue. "At the end of those talks must come the recognition. That goes without saying."

What the Germans said it is not news,it is not a secret and it is not a new condition for Serbia. They are telling you serbs that nobody can force you to recognize Kosovo De Jure.But De Facto you will not be allowed to block Kosovo's membership in international organizations and at the same time expect EU membership for yourself.It is a solution that looks similar to that of the two Germanies.Serbia will not be asked to recognize De Jure but will not be allowed to be hostile towards Kosovo.Tadic should consider this as a big help in solving the Kosovo issue.We might see him mentioning the two Germanies model more often from now on.

"The Orthodox countries will be the new border that align mainly with a newly forming eastern block dominated by China "
Zoran

Well I doubt very much that Romania and Bulgaria will have the desire to become part of that new estern block of yours. As you know "Eastern Block, Phase I" up to 1990 was not the happiest experience for their citizens. But if some countries out of nostalgy for the "good old times" will try it again nobody will stop them.

Hows that for GULL Serbia,Germany could not destroy you in WW1 or WW2 but now they come one more time to BREAK YOU! What do you think of your GERMAN FRIENDS.....NOW!Wake up Serbs before its to late,and show no support for the TRAITOR TADIC and his JUDAS!

Wake up, Serbia! The ultimate blackmail from the West, saying that you must accept the forcible illegal amputation of your country by the West in order to join the EU, is now on the table. The German officials have fully displayed the West's cards. Now the question to Serbia is whether they will bow to a raw naked blackmail in violation of UNSC Resolution 1244 and basic international law, or whether they will stay firm. Remember, the future of the global economy resides in Asia, and the BRIC nations, and not the bankrupt US and aging Europe. Figure out who your real allies are. A nation willing to crawl before Brussels will not be respected anyway.

Nice try Deutschland. But Serbia will never recognize the illegal mafia statelet that you were involved in creating. And Serbia will nerver join your little bankrupt club. The winds are changing. There will come a day when the criminals elite in the west will pay for what they did in Kosovo.

Serbia should get this clrearified in writting with EU right now before even starting any negotiation. Be clear about it now rather then 8 years from now. By that time, they will sqeeze little sole that is left of Serbia, and stil, won't become member of EU. Old enemies will want to make you pay for protecting you country during WW2.

So reading the updated info, we hear that even if Serbia gets candidate status this December, membership won't be for at least another 8 years. Ok, so if Germany sticks with its plan of recognition in exchange for membership, we need to bank on the following:

a) whatever condition Kosovo finds itself in in 8 years will be exponentially better than where it is now

b) an unflinching position on whatever German government is in power in Berlin, not to mention a unified position by the European Parliament

c) whether or not the EU will exist in 8 years anyway or whether it will be relevant to join

d) whether the Belgrade-Pristina talks going on now will produce a compromise condition whereby recognition is already writing on the wall.

If Serbia is still jumping through hoops for EU membership in 8 years, it better be because the EU is one Hell of an economic powerhouse. But a lot can happen in 8 years. A lot can happen in 48 hours too. But for now, I have to once again agree with bgagnon's position: Serbia's decision, whatever it is, will be because it is in Serbia's interest, not some ultimatum indirectly given by Germans.

Serbia should stop wanting to go into the EU. They will be under EU dictates - actually now they are putting themselves under so many dictates - and to the detriment of Serbia and the Serbian people - to try and please the un-pleasable EU.
Serbia should stay independent of the EU as much as possible. It doesn't mean trade and investment is cut off as this always is going on anyway.

Serbia should stop serving its enemies.

We are hearing familiar, more then century old threats, coming out of Germany.Hitler/Ribbentrop policy with slightly different packaging.As
smart as they are,have not learn yet to stay out of Serbian domestic affairs.It would be travesty of justice if someone with Germany past
is allowed to redraw Serbia's international borders.Germany at present time is in position to disallowed Serbia's accession to EU.That's said,
I do not believe Kosovo independence alone would be sufficient reason
for rejection.Serbia set tight,do everything needed to join EU with
Kosovo as integral part of Serbia.Serbia is not colonial power therefore,
can not grant independence to minority solely based on birth rate.

blackmail is not acceptet by ani law in the world way does serbia have
to be forced in to it by so cal ( democratic countrys) rules

The germans lost two wars against serbia.
They only look for revenche.
Please serbia. wake up europe and say no to germans !
(moris, 22 June 2011 19:02)

Yes, and Einstein's serbian wife discovered the theory of relativity.

"Frau Merkel must head Toma’s Presidential campaign team ! Well done Germany ! At last the masks are off and everybody can see that Serbia will have to kiss 28 asses to enter the club ! Thank the Lord this damned June 22 Deuchland is really uber alles ! At least for Serbia they served a good service.
rote

The Germans can be overbearing and personally I am not a big fan of them.
One thing is however a fact: 66 years ago they were in ruin, totally destroyed and hungry. But they needed only 50-60 years to come back stronger than ever. This time they reign over Europe in a peaceful way.
They are maybe not uber "alles" (above all) but definitely "uber Europa" (above Europe).
By the way congratulations for your German. You seem to master the key words.

Reading their comments here I don't remember Albanians ever been so openly dependent on Serbia's decisions...

It's like whole independence was wiped away.

"The EU is a sinking ship..do NOT jump on the titanic because the iceberg is inches away!!! "
====================================

Funny, on RT someone said "This is the first time they have seen that a rat is trying to jump onto a sinking ship".

Is Serbia so mad that they would actually go through all this humiliation in order to jump onto a sinking ship? Seems they betrayed their heroes for nothing. I don't think Tadic will do so well now.

Hearing a handful of German MPs speaking their minds it is best to stay calm and rational. Especially now when what they uttered would mean a death call to EU's reputation, or what's left of it.

I'm sure we will pretty soon hear other voices from Berlin, as The Brit suggested.

There will be a third way for solution. That's why we have a thing called politics. For Kosovo Albanians I hardly can imagine worse news than if this latest message was a fact that remains. There would be no hope for them.

A possible third way would be Norway type of a relation between Serbia and the EU.

Frau Merkel must head Toma’s Presidential campaign team ! Well done Germany ! At last the masks are off and everybody can see that Serbia will have to kiss 28 asses to enter the club ! Thank the Lord this damned June 22 Deuchland is really uber alles ! At least for Serbia they served a good service.

This is the reality, its a wake up call. The message is very clear: bring your house in order, and stop playing stupid with your people. Thirty something thousand Serbs living in Kosovo are victims and that's all.


And, you should not sit in the place you know you are going to be asked to leave.

"In the end like other posters I'm not convinced at what kind of EU will exist by the time Serbia is called to join. As far as I'm concerned I'm happy to sit in the waiting room, to use EU pre-accession funds, to improve trade agreements, to agree freedom of travel, to improve standards where they need improvement, to crack down on corruption." (bganon)

-- Agreed. Germany must really be suffering from EU fatigue if it sticks to this highly unorthodox principle. Or maybe Germany realizes that by the time Serbia gets its cards in order for EU ascension, the EU will be an economic appendage of Berlin. Personally, I think the EU has garnered such a negative image of itself as both a partial harbinger of the Greek financial crisis as well as a monopolist on economic recovery that anyone still wishing to join its ranks needs to have their head checked. If it really comes down to EU membership at the price of ultimatums - be it Serbia or anyone else, then the EU is not a viable option. That is of course if the EU will even exist by the time new members join.

pss

According to 1244, Kosovo is a part of Serbia. Therefore, your last post is moot.
(Another Canadian Serb, 22 June 2011 22:00)
So you say, not only do the most powerful countries in the world disagree with you(even your new found homeland), Just ask yourself a big question.
Where are the Serbian politicians, where are the Serbian military, where are the Serbian police? Across the border. Everytime Serbia is upset with something that happens in Kosovo, do they take action? No they complain to the UN. Notice another article in todays B92 Serbian minister says the Kumanovo agreement needs to change. Can Serbia do that? no, What does the Kumanovo agreement say? Should Serbian forces try to enter Kosovo they will meet face to face with NATO and it is their duty to keep Serbia out.
Doesn't sound like my post is"moot" from where I am sitting.

Take a look at Greece and ask yourselves if you are still tempted by EU-membership. EU membership is nothing. Economic growth is everything.

The hell with Germans , Nato and EU
Serbs do not need them

The "Brit" made the most intelligent comment on this board. And he is right. (Canadian, 22 June 2011 17:28)

Damn! That's a hard-earned reputation for posting gratuitously provocative rubbish flying out of the window :-)

My Balkan friends always make me laugh whenever they start having delusions of grandeur and how important they think they are when in reality most are legends only in their own minds.The EU is a market of 500 million people so Serbia with its 7 million is hardly relevant to the EU as a whole but any person who took Economics 101 can tell you it is in Serbia's interest to have access to this market.How about we all agree that a majority vote by the Serbian people as a whole will determine the membership question as regards to recognizing Kosovo in 8 years time?The EU is a VOLUNTARY organization and who says that Romania or Bulgaria are NOT better off today than they would be if they had remained outside of the EU?Not any Romanian or Bulgar that I know and yet some commentators here write nonsense about the EU not existing in 8 years.Any country is FREE to leave the EU at any time and for sure any would leave if it thought it better off to be a non member.A small majority of Swiss and Norwegians do not want full membership as of yet although their economies are practically completely integrated with the EU one.The current crisis in Greece is due to the fact that the Greeks borrowed money and lived high off the hog for many years but now want Germany to subsidize their undeserved and unearned standard of living.If candidate status is good enough for the majority of Serbs for the next 50 years then so be it but should it not be up to the entire Serbian electorate to decide this?

This is WW2 revisited. The only difference is back then it was Adolf Hitler who was running Germany and gave ultimatums! So current day climate is nearly every EU country is in dissaray! Greece is bankrupt, Italy is going backwards as are other EU nations. How would Serbia be better off? It wouldn't be. Serbian people should overthrow their government now which was put in by the EU. People power should not be underestimated. Look at Croatia, Montenegro - most of their big businesses and banks are foreign run and owned and no money going back into local economy! that is EU..take from the poor and give to the rich!

And the answer of the Peoples heart of Srbia will be -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koZkio7gD6s

Whom has said that Srbia is small ?.

Orao,Svedska.

Unfortunately bureaucrats like you Mr. Bureaucrat do not understand that you cannot break a wall with your head because your head will break first.

Thanks for reading my comment.

now we finally see who really won WWII.

I confess that I can credit Germany for deferring to Kosovo's belief or insisting that it's sovereign.If pro-independence Kosovars are fortunate than Germany and hopefully other nations who recognize the status of your nation won't abandon you or your beliefs on Kosovo's status that it insists upon.

I am against Serbia joining the EU but let me put this statement into real perspective. I would not place too much emphasis on what a group of travelling parliamentary minstrels are saying as it their purpose to so call set out the maximum terms to Belgrade.

If anyone has been to a Middle Eastern bazaar you will understand what I am talking about – you ask how much is that carpet? Oh $100 dollars. No I’ll give you $30 with a reply I cannot do that it would cost me money and so it goes on until you get for $40.

This is exactly what is happening in this case. The EU members that have recognised Kosovo as an independent state would look very foolish to suddenly do a 360 degree backflip plus the US is demanding that the EU’s resolve remains the same.

Now why doesn’t Germany make demands from other EU members that have not recognised an independent Kosovo you might ask? It could place a huge amount of pressure considering it’s the only viable economy in the EU in 2011. Once again the simplest answer is also the right one – Germany really does not place too much emphasis on the issue except for returning Albanian refugees.

All of this is play acting on a large stage. When push comes to shove all will fall into line and the Germans will approve Serbia’s entry regardless of Kosovo as that little region of poverty becomes less and less important to the NATO alliance or what’s left of that alliance.

A Chinese official recently said that they gave NATO the green light to attack Libya because this will break the alliance into pieces as they cannot withstand a lengthy war without permanent damage to their economies. Regardless it’s a win win situation for China and the Russians.

Oh if anyone has noticed that China has been talking to the “rebels”; yes that’s true but it was to tell them that negotiation was the only option and not to recognise them.

"DANKE DEUTSCHLAND!!!!
(Adrian, Tirana, 22 June 2011 21:24)"

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=06&dd=23&nav_id=75066

Miri I am not anti EU. As I keep stating I am supporting what I believe will produce the best result for national interests.

My priorities remain higher living standards, less corruption, economic growth, employment etc. All the kinds of things that ordinary people everywhere support. I will say it one more time, if the EU can help achieve these goals then Serbia should join. If Serbia does not gain anything by joining then it will be better not to join.

It is rational to have goals and to react according to how those goals will be fufilled. What would be irrational would be to become fixated on one idea ignoring any contrary evidence.

In Serbia we have both anti Europeans and pro Europeans that don't really look at the arguments, so in that sense I'm in a minority. However, I don't thank a few MP's of a single European state, that is traditionally not an ally of Serbia, should be telling Serbia about what its state / foreign policy should be. That would be a view shared by almost all Serbian citizens.

Perhaps Serbia has dragged its feet but this government has earned the right to some international respect. Nobody expects Germany to change its mind, but a few of their MP's should keep their noses out.

The fact is that nobody knows how long it will take to join the EU, or whether the EU will change in some way before Serbia is offered the chance to join. It might take so long that a deal is made with Kosovo Albanians is done before then - where does that leave ill thought out statement by these MP's?

I am impatiently waiting for what Jeremic has to say about this. It should be a really good show. The best spinning people will ever see that will go down in diplomacy manuals all over the world. There will be a chapter about it and I will drink a shot of Slivo to it.

I red the comments in Serbian a few moments ago. I didn't see such a huge enthusiasm about joying EU. It seams that only a few Serbian politicians want to follow that way, but not Serbian people. I do not have any idea what's going on. Can someone help me?

Unfortunately people like 'miri' still do not undertand how the EU functions. The EU cannot legally require Serbia to recognize 'Kosovo' to join the EU as long as 5 states also refuse to recognize 'Kosovo'. 'Unofficial' = "illegal" and can no way be redefined in Brussels to be made acceptable. Then again, as there is no line between illegal and legal in Pristina and Triana, it is not a surprise to read such comments, or have all albanians suddenly become euro experts overnight?

Germany wants world War III don't they, well if it has to be The Germans are gon how too kill every Serb before we recognize Kosovo and thats that. they cannot have Serbian land at any price. president tadic might not resist but The Serbian People will.