“Lithuania won’t block Serbia’s EU pathway”

BELGRADE Lithuanian FM Linas Linkevicius told daily Vecernje novosti that his country would not block Serbia’s EU accession despite “not the best of relations”. Even if it gets a date for the start of the EU accession negotiations in June, Serbia will face an uncertain period in the integration process bearing in mind that Lithuania will take over the EU presidency in the second half of 2013, the daily writes. “Lithuania won’t block Serbia’s EU pathway” Relations between Serbia and Lithuania have been tense since the election for the UN General Assembly president and unsuccessful privatization of the BIP brewery. Linkevicius admitted that the two countries’ relations were not at the best possible level but stressed that this should not halt Serbia’s progress in relations with Brussels. When asked whether Serbia would start the EU accession talks once Lithuania had taken over the EU presidency, he said: “We wish Serbia success. We support Euro-Atlantic integrations of all Western Balkan countries. We truly believe that this is the right direction. We will give Serbia support both bilaterally and as the EU presidency in the second half of the year. We will happy to do it.” When asked if Lithuania would soon ratify the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia, Linkevicius said that process was “underway”. “Our government has already given its consent. It is parliament’s turn now. I have spoken personally with leaders in parliament and they are planning on putting the issue on the agenda in accordance with the rules of procedure. They are not planning on artificially stopping the process,” he explained. When asked if he believed in true normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, he said that everybody was optimistic but that it was really hard. “I have visited the region many times and I know really well what the reality is like. And this should be taken into account. But I think it is time to solve the problem,” the Lithuanian FM said. When asked if Kosovo Serbs could at least get autonomy, he said that he was not in a position to say. “Autonomy in principle is an issue of countries’ internal integrity and I think it is not a topic that should be solved at this meeting, among EU foreign ministers, or at any other forum. I would not speculate on it,” Linkevicius stressed. When asked whether he believed Serbia should recognize Kosovo’s independence, he said that it depended on Serbia. However, the Lithuanian minister said that it would be best if Serbia recognized it if it was a condition for the EU membership. “I said it would be better, not that a decision not to recognize it would be a definitive obstacle to the membership,” he told the daily, noting that it was his personal opinion. Vecernje novosti

“Lithuania won’t block Serbia’s EU pathway”

Relations between Serbia and Lithuania have been tense since the election for the UN General Assembly president and unsuccessful privatization of the BIP brewery.

Linkevičius admitted that the two countries’ relations were not at the best possible level but stressed that this should not halt Serbia’s progress in relations with Brussels.

When asked whether Serbia would start the EU accession talks once Lithuania had taken over the EU presidency, he said:

“We wish Serbia success. We support Euro-Atlantic integrations of all Western Balkan countries. We truly believe that this is the right direction. We will give Serbia support both bilaterally and as the EU presidency in the second half of the year. We will happy to do it.”

When asked if Lithuania would soon ratify the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia, Linkevičius said that process was “underway”.

“Our government has already given its consent. It is parliament’s turn now. I have spoken personally with leaders in parliament and they are planning on putting the issue on the agenda in accordance with the rules of procedure. They are not planning on artificially stopping the process,” he explained.

When asked if he believed in true normalization of relations between Belgrade and Priština, he said that everybody was optimistic but that it was really hard.

“I have visited the region many times and I know really well what the reality is like. And this should be taken into account. But I think it is time to solve the problem,” the Lithuanian FM said.

When asked if Kosovo Serbs could at least get autonomy, he said that he was not in a position to say.

“Autonomy in principle is an issue of countries’ internal integrity and I think it is not a topic that should be solved at this meeting, among EU foreign ministers, or at any other forum. I would not speculate on it,” Linkevičius stressed.

When asked whether he believed Serbia should recognize Kosovo’s independence, he said that it depended on Serbia. However, the Lithuanian minister said that it would be best if Serbia recognized it if it was a condition for the EU membership.

“I said it would be better, not that a decision not to recognize it would be a definitive obstacle to the membership,” he told the daily, noting that it was his personal opinion.