Vučić: Agreement must be implemented

BELGRADE The Brussels agreement must be implemented, and the only question is how to do it with the consent of the Serbs from Kosovo, Aleksandar Vucic has told B92. The first deputy prime minister added Serbia will do everything to obtain the EU accession talks start date without affecting its statehood. Vucic: Agreement must be implemented "If a government member signs an agreement with Pristina and the parliament adopts it, then it is clear that it has to be implemented. The only question is how to do it with the consent of our people and not against its will," Vucic said and announced that he will be visiting the north of Kosovo between May 7 and 12. He added that a solution can be reached and that an increasing number of people in northern Kosovo has realized this and "knows that some marginal groups cannot change either the people's will or the government in Serbia." According to him, Belgrade understands the fears of the Serbs from northern Kosovo and shows this through great patience, forbearance, and even by not responding to a dirty campaign conducted against us. Vucic voiced expectation that the talks will continue, adding that, on the other hand, Brussels needs to know that only what has been written in the agreement can be implemented. Asked if the agreement should be fully implemented by the end of June and Brussels' decision on whether to grant Serbia a start date for the EU accession talks, he said this is "absolutely impossible" and that it is "madness" to expect this of Serbia. "I believe they expect the implementation to be finalized by June 25, prior to publishing the final report. I hope that we will get to that plan, but we need the cooperation of the Serbs from Kosovo for that," Vucic concluded. Read the full transcript of the interview (Tanjug, file) B92 Tanjug

Vučić: Agreement must be implemented

"If a government member signs an agreement with Priština and the parliament adopts it, then it is clear that it has to be implemented. The only question is how to do it with the consent of our people and not against its will," Vučić said and announced that he will be visiting the north of Kosovo between May 7 and 12.

He added that a solution can be reached and that an increasing number of people in northern Kosovo has realized this and "knows that some marginal groups cannot change either the people's will or the government in Serbia."

According to him, Belgrade understands the fears of the Serbs from northern Kosovo and shows this through great patience, forbearance, and even by not responding to a dirty campaign conducted against us.

Vučić voiced expectation that the talks will continue, adding that, on the other hand, Brussels needs to know that only what has been written in the agreement can be implemented.

Asked if the agreement should be fully implemented by the end of June and Brussels' decision on whether to grant Serbia a start date for the EU accession talks, he said this is "absolutely impossible" and that it is "madness" to expect this of Serbia.

"I believe they expect the implementation to be finalized by June 25, prior to publishing the final report. I hope that we will get to that plan, but we need the cooperation of the Serbs from Kosovo for that," Vučić concluded.

Read the full transcript of the interview