"Serbia showed it shares European values"

BELGRADE Aleksandar Vucic spoke for German ZDF on the occasion of the opening of negotiations with the EU, to say Serbia "has shown it shared European values." "It means a lot to us, it means that we share European values, that's what matters the most. Secondly, we know that we are facing great changes. In the last year and a half, we have shown that we can with courage face the problems and solve them. We can promise to our European partners that we will not stop with that," Vucic said. "Serbia showed it shares European values" Asked whether there was a real chance to solve the problem of Kosovo, which many say is standing on Serbia's road to the EU, Vucic says: "Fortunately we do not have a conflict. For a year already we have had a dialogue with Kosovo and will continue to have it. Of course there are problems. There are different views on certain political issues, but I hope that if both sides are willing to compromise, we can achieve good results for the people from Serbia, the people of Albania and the people Kosovo," he said. The first deputy prime minister also said he believed that the problem of fake asylum seekers going to EU countries from Serbia will be solved. "These are mainly members of the Roma minority coming from Serbia. We are doing everything we can to, with the German authorities and with representatives of the EU, find a solution and reduce the number of asylum seekers. I think that with a lot of effort that will succeed, to reduce the number of people who thus enter Germany," he said. Vucic also told the German media outlet that the goal of Serbia was to become an EU member "by 2020." "We hope to finish everything by 2018, 2019, and in 2020 become a full member, if the decision were only up to us. But, unfortunately, we do not decide alone," Vucic was quoted as saying. (Tanjug) B92

"Serbia showed it shares European values"

Asked whether there was a real chance to solve the problem of Kosovo, which many say is standing on Serbia's road to the EU, Vučić says:

"Fortunately we do not have a conflict. For a year already we have had a dialogue with Kosovo and will continue to have it. Of course there are problems. There are different views on certain political issues, but I hope that if both sides are willing to compromise, we can achieve good results for the people from Serbia, the people of Albania and the people Kosovo," he said.

The first deputy prime minister also said he believed that the problem of fake asylum seekers going to EU countries from Serbia will be solved.

"These are mainly members of the Roma minority coming from Serbia. We are doing everything we can to, with the German authorities and with representatives of the EU, find a solution and reduce the number of asylum seekers. I think that with a lot of effort that will succeed, to reduce the number of people who thus enter Germany," he said.

Vučić also told the German media outlet that the goal of Serbia was to become an EU member "by 2020."

"We hope to finish everything by 2018, 2019, and in 2020 become a full member, if the decision were only up to us. But, unfortunately, we do not decide alone," Vučić was quoted as saying.