Czech FM "dreaming" of European Serbia

Czech FM Karel Schwarzenberg says the chief aim of the upcoming Czech EU Presidency is to see Serbia enter the procedure for receiving candidate status. “That is my dream. Naturally, I’m aware that certain countries are still against this, but I sincerely hope we will manage to persuade them otherwise. I know that this will not be easy, but it is one of the true goals of our EU Presidency,“ Schwarzenberg said in an interview for Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti printed on Friday. Czech FM "dreaming" of European Serbia The Czech Republic will take over the European Union (EU) Presidency in two weeks’ time from France on Jan 1, 2009. “Putting the traditional friendship between Serbia and the Czech Republic to one side, I genuinely believe that Serbia is a country of key importance in the Balkans. Anyone who thinks peace and economic prosperity can be established in the Balkans without her is mistaken. I will be conveying this to my European friends,“ said the minister. “Serbia is an exceptional country. To be honest, I don’t know why people call the countries in the region the West Balkan countries, but, no matter, out of all of them, Serbia is most probably the best prepared, it has a competent and effective administration. Belgrade has always been a European capital,“ he said. Schwarzenberg stressed that the “unfortunate political developments of the last 90 years have held Serbia back.“ “I remember when I travelled to Belgrade 30 years ago, it was an island of freedom and a free society. Yes, Tito was in power, the country had a tough regime, but you could broach any subject you liked in the Belgrade cafes. The atmosphere there was much better than in any other country in the region,“ the minister recalled. Asked whether the Czech recognition of Kosovo’s unilateral independence had frayed relations between Belgrade and Prague, he replied that “at a given moment, Belgrade naturally reacted negatively“ to the Czech decision, it withdrew its ambassador, adding that it had been “entirely understandable.“ “It was a very difficult decision for us, but we realized that we had to go with the European flow. It was manifestly clear that we had to do it. And we did it fairly late, but we must respect that decision. We have quite a few of our people in Kosovo, which also had a bearing on our decision. But I think relations are once again as good as they used to be,“ Schwarzenberg said. “I’m sure that Serbia knows fine well that the Czech Republic champions its interests in all international forums. We’re seeking to further Serbia’s interests in the Council of Ministers and the Council of Europe. We sometimes try to open a debate on that theme and I presume Belgrade is also well aware of that,“ he told the daily. Karel Schwarzenberg

Czech FM "dreaming" of European Serbia

The Czech Republic will take over the European Union (EU) Presidency in two weeks’ time from France on Jan 1, 2009.

“Putting the traditional friendship between Serbia and the Czech Republic to one side, I genuinely believe that Serbia is a country of key importance in the Balkans. Anyone who thinks peace and economic prosperity can be established in the Balkans without her is mistaken. I will be conveying this to my European friends,“ said the minister.

“Serbia is an exceptional country. To be honest, I don’t know why people call the countries in the region the West Balkan countries, but, no matter, out of all of them, Serbia is most probably the best prepared, it has a competent and effective administration. Belgrade has always been a European capital,“ he said.

Schwarzenberg stressed that the “unfortunate political developments of the last 90 years have held Serbia back.“

“I remember when I travelled to Belgrade 30 years ago, it was an island of freedom and a free society. Yes, Tito was in power, the country had a tough regime, but you could broach any subject you liked in the Belgrade cafes. The atmosphere there was much better than in any other country in the region,“ the minister recalled.

Asked whether the Czech recognition of Kosovo’s unilateral independence had frayed relations between Belgrade and Prague, he replied that “at a given moment, Belgrade naturally reacted negatively“ to the Czech decision, it withdrew its ambassador, adding that it had been “entirely understandable.“

“It was a very difficult decision for us, but we realized that we had to go with the European flow. It was manifestly clear that we had to do it. And we did it fairly late, but we must respect that decision. We have quite a few of our people in Kosovo, which also had a bearing on our decision. But I think relations are once again as good as they used to be,“ Schwarzenberg said.

“I’m sure that Serbia knows fine well that the Czech Republic champions its interests in all international forums. We’re seeking to further Serbia’s interests in the Council of Ministers and the Council of Europe. We sometimes try to open a debate on that theme and I presume Belgrade is also well aware of that,“ he told the daily.