New Russian ambassador: Vote internal issue

The new Russian ambassador to Belgrade says the current political struggle is "Serbia's internal affair". Aleksandr Konuzin, the newly-appointed Russian representative to Serbia, said in an interview for the daily Politika that Moscow "pointed out on a number of occasions that it will respect the decision the Serbian people will reach in the [May 11] elections". New Russian ambassador: Vote internal issue "Any decision that may be reached will be acceptable for Russia," Konuzin continued. "Of course, the fact that the country's leadership is focused on electoral issues has caused certain limitations as regards the functioning of the authority, and does not help a speedy realization of the envisaged cooperation that has been determined by the recently signed agreement," the diplomat added, in reference to the Serbo-Russian strategic energy cooperation deal. "We want to believe that politics will make it possible to soon overcome the technical problems which have presented themselves," Konuzin was quoted. He added that Russia "wanted to believe" that the new situation would not have a negative effect on the realization of the South Stream natural gas pipeline project. "The document has been signed and agreement has been reached," he underlined. "The crisis in the Serbian government has caused certain corrections as regards the deadlines, but we do not think that this will cause any serious problems and we hope that the agreement will be realized by the envisaged deadlines," Konuzin said. The new Russian ambassador is due in Belgrade tomorrow. He will take over from Aleksandr Alekseyev, who has been appointed the head of the Balkans department at the Russian MFA.

New Russian ambassador: Vote internal issue

"Any decision that may be reached will be acceptable for Russia," Konuzin continued.

"Of course, the fact that the country's leadership is focused on electoral issues has caused certain limitations as regards the functioning of the authority, and does not help a speedy realization of the envisaged cooperation that has been determined by the recently signed agreement," the diplomat added, in reference to the Serbo-Russian strategic energy cooperation deal.

"We want to believe that politics will make it possible to soon overcome the technical problems which have presented themselves," Konuzin was quoted.

He added that Russia "wanted to believe" that the new situation would not have a negative effect on the realization of the South Stream natural gas pipeline project.

"The document has been signed and agreement has been reached," he underlined.

"The crisis in the Serbian government has caused certain corrections as regards the deadlines, but we do not think that this will cause any serious problems and we hope that the agreement will be realized by the envisaged deadlines," Konuzin said.

The new Russian ambassador is due in Belgrade tomorrow. He will take over from Aleksandr Alekseyev, who has been appointed the head of the Balkans department at the Russian MFA.