SAA could be signed Tuesday

Holland and Belgium tried to have the text of the initialed Stabilization and Association Agreement altered, but that proposal was rejected, Vuk Jeremic has told B92. The foreign minister said that Serbia was only prepared to sign the original text, as initialed. SAA could be signed Tuesday Jeremic said that he expected the EU to send a "political message of support" to Serbia from tomorrow's meeting of foreign ministers , after which, in his opinion, signing of the agreement would be a mere technicality that could take place as early as tomorrow. Earlier today, Parliamentary Speaker Oliver Dulic confirmed that Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic would sign the SAA tomorrow if EU ministers put it on the table. Dulic confirmed to B92 that the EU could offer the agreement to Serbia tomorrow following Holland and Belgium’s change of heart. Effectively, the two countries’ willingness to give their conditional approval to signing the SAA with Serbia has opened room for manoeuvre with three possible options for signing the agreement, the first of which would be tomorrow's meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg . The other option being considered in Brussels is to reach an agreement on signing the SAA in Luxembourg, but to postpone the actual act a few days, though no later than the Serbian elections on May 11. The last option mentioned by European diplomatic sources is for an agreement to be reached at the meeting and for a “symbolic political message” to be sent to Serbia, but to postpone the signing until after the elections. Although Brussels believes that the chances of the first option are “relatively small,” the EU Council of Ministers has completed preparations for a potential signing on Tuesday afternoon. EU sources believe that President Boris Tadic and Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic are authorized to sign the SAA. Foreign Minister and Democratic Party (DS) official Vuk Jeremic is expected to travel to Luxembourg today. Jeremic said that he would ask the EU foreign ministers for the SAA to be signed between the EU and Serbia as soon as possible. He said that the purpose of today’s visit by the Foreign Ministry delegation to Luxembourg was to be at maximum readiness for tomorrow’s debate. “I’ll meet the EU president and the Union’s other senior officials,” said the foreign minister, adding that he expected “firm support and dedication for Serbia’s fully-fledged membership” at the meeting. However, in a resumption of party hostilities, Education Minister and Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) official Zoran Loncar has said that “Serbia will not recognize that signature, and the new government and parliament will reject that agreement.” “We see that on Tuesday, the [League of Vojvodina Social Democrats leader Nenad] Canak-DS-G17 Plus coalition is preparing to sign ‘Solana’s agreement’, which means that Tadic’s oath not to recognize Kosovo was valid only until he was invited to sign Solana’s agreement,” said Loncar. Vuk Jeremic (FoNet, archive)

SAA could be signed Tuesday

Jeremić said that he expected the EU to send a "political message of support" to Serbia from tomorrow's meeting of foreign ministers , after which, in his opinion, signing of the agreement would be a mere technicality that could take place as early as tomorrow.

Earlier today, Parliamentary Speaker Oliver Dulić confirmed that Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić would sign the SAA tomorrow if EU ministers put it on the table.

Dulić confirmed to B92 that the EU could offer the agreement to Serbia tomorrow following Holland and Belgium’s change of heart.

Effectively, the two countries’ willingness to give their conditional approval to signing the SAA with Serbia has opened room for manoeuvre with three possible options for signing the agreement, the first of which would be tomorrow's meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg .

The other option being considered in Brussels is to reach an agreement on signing the SAA in Luxembourg, but to postpone the actual act a few days, though no later than the Serbian elections on May 11.

The last option mentioned by European diplomatic sources is for an agreement to be reached at the meeting and for a “symbolic political message” to be sent to Serbia, but to postpone the signing until after the elections.

Although Brussels believes that the chances of the first option are “relatively small,” the EU Council of Ministers has completed preparations for a potential signing on Tuesday afternoon.

EU sources believe that President Boris Tadić and Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić are authorized to sign the SAA.

Foreign Minister and Democratic Party (DS) official Vuk Jeremić is expected to travel to Luxembourg today.

Jeremić said that he would ask the EU foreign ministers for the SAA to be signed between the EU and Serbia as soon as possible.

He said that the purpose of today’s visit by the Foreign Ministry delegation to Luxembourg was to be at maximum readiness for tomorrow’s debate.

“I’ll meet the EU president and the Union’s other senior officials,” said the foreign minister, adding that he expected “firm support and dedication for Serbia’s fully-fledged membership” at the meeting.

However, in a resumption of party hostilities, Education Minister and Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) official Zoran Lončar has said that “Serbia will not recognize that signature, and the new government and parliament will reject that agreement.”

“We see that on Tuesday, the [League of Vojvodina Social Democrats leader Nenad] Čanak-DS-G17 Plus coalition is preparing to sign ‘Solana’s agreement’, which means that Tadić’s oath not to recognize Kosovo was valid only until he was invited to sign Solana’s agreement,” said Lončar.