Deputy PM: Someone trying to thwart Serbia's EU efforts

Serbian Deputy PM Bozidar Djelic says Pristina's attempt to take control over crossings can be used as a reason to postpone Serbia's EU accession talks. He said it was not a coincidence that the Kosovo government had decided to take control over the administrative crossings Jarinje and Brnjak just days after Hague Tribunal indictee Goran Hadzic’s arrest. Deputy PM: Someone trying to thwart Serbia's EU efforts “It is not a coincidence that immediately after the arrest of Hague Tribunal indictee Goran Hadzic, Pristina has put an embargo on Serbian goods. I am afraid that certain EU members, which want to slow down the EU enlargement process, may use Pristina's unilateral moves as an excuse for postponement of the talks on Serbia's EU accession by the time the situation calms down,” he told Belgrade-based daily Vecernje novosti. When asked whether violence in Kosovo is an attempt to tie Belgrade's hands - to force it to cease the dialogue and than be accused of hindering the process, Djelic responded: “It is not the first time that someone is trying to thwart Serbia's EU efforts at the moment when a positive course of events is expected. This time, it was done by Pristina. Our negotiators are making efforts to show which side has started the unilateral actions and brought commotion into the lives of people in Kosovo and the region”. He underlined that Serbia had to continue to be active and promote peace and dialogue in both words and action and on the other side point to the violation of the agreement, adding that “there is no dialogue if at the same time Pristina is trying to change the situation in the field by using force”. Asked whether Serbia is certain to get the candidate status and the date for the beginning of the EU accession talks after Hadzic’s extradition, the deputy PM said that “in spite of Pristina's attempt to thwart Serbia's candidate status, I believe that this is a done deal. However, the date for the beginning of negotiations is not.” When asked whether Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence will be a precondition for the EU accession, Djelic said that “no one has mentioned that the solution of Kosovo's status is a precondition for the candidate status and the beginning of negotiations. However, if we want to join the EU within which 22 members see Serbia's borderlines in a different manner, we have to find some kind of a solution. It is the same with Pristina which is not recognized by five EU states. The EU path is pushing both sides to a compromise”. Bozidar Djelic (Tanjug, file)

Deputy PM: Someone trying to thwart Serbia's EU efforts

“It is not a coincidence that immediately after the arrest of Hague Tribunal indictee Goran Hadžić, Priština has put an embargo on Serbian goods. I am afraid that certain EU members, which want to slow down the EU enlargement process, may use Priština's unilateral moves as an excuse for postponement of the talks on Serbia's EU accession by the time the situation calms down,” he told Belgrade-based daily Večernje novosti.

When asked whether violence in Kosovo is an attempt to tie Belgrade's hands - to force it to cease the dialogue and than be accused of hindering the process, Đelić responded: “It is not the first time that someone is trying to thwart Serbia's EU efforts at the moment when a positive course of events is expected. This time, it was done by Priština. Our negotiators are making efforts to show which side has started the unilateral actions and brought commotion into the lives of people in Kosovo and the region”.

He underlined that Serbia had to continue to be active and promote peace and dialogue in both words and action and on the other side point to the violation of the agreement, adding that “there is no dialogue if at the same time Priština is trying to change the situation in the field by using force”.

Asked whether Serbia is certain to get the candidate status and the date for the beginning of the EU accession talks after Hadžić’s extradition, the deputy PM said that “in spite of Priština's attempt to thwart Serbia's candidate status, I believe that this is a done deal. However, the date for the beginning of negotiations is not.”

When asked whether Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence will be a precondition for the EU accession, Đelić said that “no one has mentioned that the solution of Kosovo's status is a precondition for the candidate status and the beginning of negotiations. However, if we want to join the EU within which 22 members see Serbia's borderlines in a different manner, we have to find some kind of a solution. It is the same with Priština which is not recognized by five EU states. The EU path is pushing both sides to a compromise”.