Jeremić: Time to sign SAA

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic says it is time to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU. Jeremic, who is currently in Athens, said that in so doing, member-states would be clearly stating that there was no doubt that Serbia was welcome in the EU. Jeremic: Time to sign SAA At the annual conference of the British Economist magazine, he said that EU membership should be the ultimate goal of all nations in the western Balkan region. Speaking of the parliamentary and local elections on May 11, the minister stressed that these were the most important elections since October 2000, where the country’s course was at stake, specifically, whether it was headed in the direction of Europe. He said that the fact could not be ignored that as far as Serbian relations with Europe were concerned, developments in Kosovo would be at the forefront of every single voter’s mind when casting his or her vote. “The vast majority of our citizens are not prepared to renounce Serbia’s sovereignty over Kosovo, and we’re very united over this matter. We’ll continue to defend our territorial integrity and the rights of the Kosovo Serbs,” Jeremic assured. The minister said that for the first time since October 5, 2000, the European idea was on the back foot in Serbia, as many people in Serbia today associated Europe with support for Kosovo’s unilateral independence. He added that the western Balkan countries had been put into a situation where they had to choose between Serbia and Kosovo, and that the decision to recognize the province’s unilaterally declared independence meant violating Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Jeremic said that Kosovo’s illegal attempt to break away from Serbia unilaterally had set a dangerous precedent that could jeopardize what was trying to be done in the region from the point of view of European integration. The minister added that “when the dust settles, and around 40 countries around the world decide to recognize Kosovo’s illegal independence,” it will not be able to join the UN, the OSCE, and will not belong to the international community of sovereign nations. Vuk Jeremic (FoNet, archive)

Jeremić: Time to sign SAA

At the annual conference of the British Economist magazine, he said that EU membership should be the ultimate goal of all nations in the western Balkan region.

Speaking of the parliamentary and local elections on May 11, the minister stressed that these were the most important elections since October 2000, where the country’s course was at stake, specifically, whether it was headed in the direction of Europe.

He said that the fact could not be ignored that as far as Serbian relations with Europe were concerned, developments in Kosovo would be at the forefront of every single voter’s mind when casting his or her vote.

“The vast majority of our citizens are not prepared to renounce Serbia’s sovereignty over Kosovo, and we’re very united over this matter. We’ll continue to defend our territorial integrity and the rights of the Kosovo Serbs,” Jeremić assured.

The minister said that for the first time since October 5, 2000, the European idea was on the back foot in Serbia, as many people in Serbia today associated Europe with support for Kosovo’s unilateral independence.

He added that the western Balkan countries had been put into a situation where they had to choose between Serbia and Kosovo, and that the decision to recognize the province’s unilaterally declared independence meant violating Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Jeremić said that Kosovo’s illegal attempt to break away from Serbia unilaterally had set a dangerous precedent that could jeopardize what was trying to be done in the region from the point of view of European integration.

The minister added that “when the dust settles, and around 40 countries around the world decide to recognize Kosovo’s illegal independence,” it will not be able to join the UN, the OSCE, and will not belong to the international community of sovereign nations.