LDP: Who put Kosovo before EU?

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Cedomir Jovanovic questioned whether FM Jeremic's statements regarding the EU and Kosovo were "agreed policy". That is the government’s position, Human and Minority Rights Minister Svetozar Ciplic reponds. LDP: Who put Kosovo before EU? The LDP leader today in parliament asked Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic whether Jeremic's statement that Serbia if forced to choose, Serbia will choose Kosovo over EU membership was part of the government policy, or a personal position of the foreign minister. While LDP is criticizing the foreign minister over what they see as “harmful statements”, other parliamentary parties do not see anything wrong with Jeremic's stance. ”We are not surprised by Vuk Jeremic’s statement, because he is, as a rule, leading his own policy, which is often in conflict with the attempts of Mirko Cvetkovic’s government and often with those of the president of the republic, but we mind the silence, because the silence is a sign of compliance,” Jovanovic said. “The minister doesn’t have the right, as a minister, he does as a citizen, to express his position, which has not been confirmed in parliament, or in a government session. Whether the government has ever voted in this manner, that is something that Mirko Cvetkovic should answer, whether it voted for such a political orientation,” Jovanovic stressed. When he linked Jeremic’s statements to former PM Vojislav Kostunica, LDP chief got an applause from Kostunica’s opposition Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS). Other parties, too, do not see anything disputable in Jeremic's pronouncements. Chief of the opposition Serb Radical Party (SRS) parliamentary group Dragan Todorovic thinks that the government should, “in order to confirm those words” immediately revoke its decision to allow EULEX to deploy in Kosovo, "because the only mission which should be in Kosovo is the UN mission". Chief of the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS)-United Serbia (JS) parliamentary group Branko Ruzic said that official Brussels never set the recognition of Kosovo as a precondition for Serbia’s further European integrations. “This option, this choice is not being placed before Serbia,” Ruzic pointed out. He stated that Jeremic's statement “goes in favor of the thesis that we would fight to do so with all diplomatic means” and that it was “an answer to some indications which simply did not represent Brussels’ official position.” The ruling Democratic Party (DS) MPs did not address this subject in parliament today, but Human and Minority Rights Minister Svetozar Ciplic expressed his support to Jeremic as he was interviewed by B92 Radio. “That is not the minister’s creative position, that is the position of the government and as far as I’m concerned it very clearly arises from the foundations of our foreign policy. Therefore – the EU, certainly, the fact that Kosovo and Metohija is an inseparable part of Serbia – certainly, and these are the two foundations which go together, this is not the first we hear about them, and this is not the first that the message that this dilemma should not be imposed to Serbia is being sent,” Ciplic said. Tying Serbia’s European integrations with the issue of Kosovo's status would be a tragic mistake, Jeremic said in Budapest on Wednesday, and added that if made to choose between EU membership and Kosovo, Serbia would choose Kosovo. Cedomir Jovanovic in parliament (Tanjug)

LDP: Who put Kosovo before EU?

The LDP leader today in parliament asked Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković whether Jeremić's statement that Serbia if forced to choose, Serbia will choose Kosovo over EU membership was part of the government policy, or a personal position of the foreign minister.

While LDP is criticizing the foreign minister over what they see as “harmful statements”, other parliamentary parties do not see anything wrong with Jeremić's stance.

”We are not surprised by Vuk Jeremić’s statement, because he is, as a rule, leading his own policy, which is often in conflict with the attempts of Mirko Cvetković’s government and often with those of the president of the republic, but we mind the silence, because the silence is a sign of compliance,” Jovanović said.

“The minister doesn’t have the right, as a minister, he does as a citizen, to express his position, which has not been confirmed in parliament, or in a government session. Whether the government has ever voted in this manner, that is something that Mirko Cvetković should answer, whether it voted for such a political orientation,” Jovanović stressed.

When he linked Jeremić’s statements to former PM Vojislav Koštunica, LDP chief got an applause from Koštunica’s opposition Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS). Other parties, too, do not see anything disputable in Jeremić's pronouncements.

Chief of the opposition Serb Radical Party (SRS) parliamentary group Dragan Todorović thinks that the government should, “in order to confirm those words” immediately revoke its decision to allow EULEX to deploy in Kosovo, "because the only mission which should be in Kosovo is the UN mission".

Chief of the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS)-United Serbia (JS) parliamentary group Branko Ružić said that official Brussels never set the recognition of Kosovo as a precondition for Serbia’s further European integrations.

“This option, this choice is not being placed before Serbia,” Ružić pointed out.

He stated that Jeremić's statement “goes in favor of the thesis that we would fight to do so with all diplomatic means” and that it was “an answer to some indications which simply did not represent Brussels’ official position.”

The ruling Democratic Party (DS) MPs did not address this subject in parliament today, but Human and Minority Rights Minister Svetozar Čiplić expressed his support to Jeremić as he was interviewed by B92 Radio.

“That is not the minister’s creative position, that is the position of the government and as far as I’m concerned it very clearly arises from the foundations of our foreign policy. Therefore – the EU, certainly, the fact that Kosovo and Metohija is an inseparable part of Serbia – certainly, and these are the two foundations which go together, this is not the first we hear about them, and this is not the first that the message that this dilemma should not be imposed to Serbia is being sent,” Čiplić said.

Tying Serbia’s European integrations with the issue of Kosovo's status would be a tragic mistake, Jeremić said in Budapest on Wednesday, and added that if made to choose between EU membership and Kosovo, Serbia would choose Kosovo.