"Serbia must not miss any more opportunities"

Boris Tadic says 2011 "must be a year of realization of development goals on which the welfare of citizens and the state will depend in the next decade". "Serbia must not miss any more opportunities" The Serbian president and ruling DS party leader was busy at the start of the new year talking to the media, and so after his interview given to the daily Blic, also published this Monday, he spoke for the Tanjug news agency. "Serbia must this year get the status of candidate for European Union membership, complete its cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the reform of the judiciary sector, pass a law on restitution, continue fighting organized crime and corruption and complete some capital infrastructure projects," Tadic said. Tadic compared Serbia to an unfinished house. "The difficulties felt today by all citizens are a consequence of much that should have been done in the past decades and of insufficient determination to start some hard and risky processes," he said. Tadic said he is ready to analyze the situation in Serbia with political partners, intellectuals, experts, professors and NGO representatives. "Serbia has inherited traditional weaknesses in the economy and administration, as well as the habit of missing opportunities," Tadic said. "Serbia never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity, it is a country that has missed many opportunities in the past years and decades, and no longer has the right to miss any more opportunities," he was quoted as saying. "Many challenges lie in store for Serbia, which, despite all circumstances, must approach EU integration and reforms with determination, without giving in to views that there is no chance and that everything is worthless," he said. Serbia must be optimistic, as it has a real capacity to come out of the crisis, even better that the countries which claim to be in a better position, Tadic said. "Serbia needs a national consensus on development issues, not a series of early elections and political emergencies which are preventing serious endeavors for resolving the problems of the citizens," he said. "It is good for a country to have a regular election process. For Serbia, it is proof that it has established political stability," Tadic said. "This will be appreciated by the European Union and investors, and without them, there can be no improvement of the standard of living," he said. Tadic therefore expects a serious discussion on the Serbia 2020 strategic development plan, in order to improve that document with fresh suggestions and solutions. "That plan is not tactical but strategic, and must be adopted in order to enable Serbia to take its place in European strategic projections and to count on EU membership in the coming decade," Tadic said. "Elections would be unproductive at this time, as they would bring nothing new. The parties which are urging elections have not come up with any new solutions for the economic crisis or with any plans for resolving the difficulties the country, the economy and all citizens are facing," Tadic stated. "To make progress possible, some painful measures must be taken, which will not at first be supported by the majority of citizens," he noted. "This means that politicians must start taking risks and assuming responsibilities," he said. Boris Tadic (Tanjug)

"Serbia must not miss any more opportunities"

The Serbian president and ruling DS party leader was busy at the start of the new year talking to the media, and so after his interview given to the daily Blic, also published this Monday, he spoke for the Tanjug news agency.

"Serbia must this year get the status of candidate for European Union membership, complete its cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the reform of the judiciary sector, pass a law on restitution, continue fighting organized crime and corruption and complete some capital infrastructure projects," Tadić said.

Tadić compared Serbia to an unfinished house.

"The difficulties felt today by all citizens are a consequence of much that should have been done in the past decades and of insufficient determination to start some hard and risky processes," he said.

Tadić said he is ready to analyze the situation in Serbia with political partners, intellectuals, experts, professors and NGO representatives.

"Serbia has inherited traditional weaknesses in the economy and administration, as well as the habit of missing opportunities," Tadić said.

"Serbia never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity, it is a country that has missed many opportunities in the past years and decades, and no longer has the right to miss any more opportunities," he was quoted as saying.

"Many challenges lie in store for Serbia, which, despite all circumstances, must approach EU integration and reforms with determination, without giving in to views that there is no chance and that everything is worthless," he said.

Serbia must be optimistic, as it has a real capacity to come out of the crisis, even better that the countries which claim to be in a better position, Tadić said.

"Serbia needs a national consensus on development issues, not a series of early elections and political emergencies which are preventing serious endeavors for resolving the problems of the citizens," he said.

"It is good for a country to have a regular election process. For Serbia, it is proof that it has established political stability," Tadić said.

"This will be appreciated by the European Union and investors, and without them, there can be no improvement of the standard of living," he said.

Tadić therefore expects a serious discussion on the Serbia 2020 strategic development plan, in order to improve that document with fresh suggestions and solutions.

"That plan is not tactical but strategic, and must be adopted in order to enable Serbia to take its place in European strategic projections and to count on EU membership in the coming decade," Tadić said.

"Elections would be unproductive at this time, as they would bring nothing new. The parties which are urging elections have not come up with any new solutions for the economic crisis or with any plans for resolving the difficulties the country, the economy and all citizens are facing," Tadić stated.

"To make progress possible, some painful measures must be taken, which will not at first be supported by the majority of citizens," he noted.

"This means that politicians must start taking risks and assuming responsibilities," he said.