“Serbia should not sacrifice statehood for EU talks date”

KRAGUJEVAC Serbia should not sacrifice its statehood in Kosovo for a date for the start of the EU talks, Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) leader Vojislav Kostunica says. He assessed that the continuation of the dialogue in Brussels could be of crucial importance for our country. “Serbia should not sacrifice statehood for EU talks date” “Serbia is at the crossroads but it can still choose which way to go,” Kostunica said at the DSS Main Board session in Kragujevac on Saturday where he presented a four-point plan for the salvation of the country. The DSS leader noted that the main danger for Serbia was the EU’s “intention and a plan to impose Kosovo’s independence on Serbia at any cost”. “If the current government decided in the negotiations in Brussels to abolish the Serbian state in Kosovo, i.e. to abolish institutions of the state of Serbia in Kosovo, it would be the first case in history that a state has reached for such an act of self-destruction such as abolition of its statehood in a part of its own territory,” Kostunica stressed. He believes that a “reward in a form of a date for the start of the talks offered by the EU for the killing of the state of Serbia in Kosovo is meaningless, insignificant and shameful for a state that has existed for centuries”. “If the government decided to destroy Serbia’s statehood in Kosovo for a promised date, then it would be remembered as a brutal destroyer and self-destroyer of Serbia,” the DSS leader noted. He stated that this was a “historic test” for the government and that it should “think carefully whether Serbia’s statehood in Kosovo should be sacrificed for a date”. “Firstly, we warn the government not to abolish the Serbian statehood in Kosovo at any cost. If we as Serbia defend Serbian institutions and Serbian statehood in Kosovo, it will be a cornerstone for our journey in the right direction,” Kostunica explained. He stressed that the “EU should be told that Serbia is not a puppet creation that hand over its territory in order to get a date.” Kostunica said that it was also necessary to prevent the issue of Vojvodina from exceeding the constitutional framework and to prevent the internalization of the issue. The DSS leader added that damage incurred to the Serbian economy by the Association and Stabilization Agreement (SAA) should be taken into consideration. Vojislav Kostunica (Beta, file) Tanjug

“Serbia should not sacrifice statehood for EU talks date”

“Serbia is at the crossroads but it can still choose which way to go,” Koštunica said at the DSS Main Board session in Kragujevac on Saturday where he presented a four-point plan for the salvation of the country.

The DSS leader noted that the main danger for Serbia was the EU’s “intention and a plan to impose Kosovo’s independence on Serbia at any cost”.

“If the current government decided in the negotiations in Brussels to abolish the Serbian state in Kosovo, i.e. to abolish institutions of the state of Serbia in Kosovo, it would be the first case in history that a state has reached for such an act of self-destruction such as abolition of its statehood in a part of its own territory,” Koštunica stressed.

He believes that a “reward in a form of a date for the start of the talks offered by the EU for the killing of the state of Serbia in Kosovo is meaningless, insignificant and shameful for a state that has existed for centuries”.

“If the government decided to destroy Serbia’s statehood in Kosovo for a promised date, then it would be remembered as a brutal destroyer and self-destroyer of Serbia,” the DSS leader noted.

He stated that this was a “historic test” for the government and that it should “think carefully whether Serbia’s statehood in Kosovo should be sacrificed for a date”.

“Firstly, we warn the government not to abolish the Serbian statehood in Kosovo at any cost. If we as Serbia defend Serbian institutions and Serbian statehood in Kosovo, it will be a cornerstone for our journey in the right direction,” Koštunica explained.

He stressed that the “EU should be told that Serbia is not a puppet creation that hand over its territory in order to get a date.”

Koštunica said that it was also necessary to prevent the issue of Vojvodina from exceeding the constitutional framework and to prevent the internalization of the issue.

The DSS leader added that damage incurred to the Serbian economy by the Association and Stabilization Agreement (SAA) should be taken into consideration.