Govt., opposition welcome consensus

Both the govt. and the opposition have underlined the importance of the deal with the SRS to support the SAA. Speaking to B92, Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic said that such a policy would help improve the lives of all citizens, while Democratic Party (DS) Whip Nada Kolundzija stressed that this agreement between the government and opposition was an important message to both the public and the EU. Govt., opposition welcome consensus “The idea is certainly to take good steps towards Serbia’s economic development and EU integration,“ said Djukic-Dejanovic. “The very text of the law, including the amendment, is completely in line with the Constitution and we’ve used this text to show what was, in fact, the position of the parliamentary majority at the outset, and to our great satisfaction a significant section of the opposition, that territorial integrity is number one for all of us, followed by economic development, which is impossible without the EU,“ the speaker explained. DS Whip Nada Kolundzija echoed Djukic-Dejanovic’s words. “We unambiguously understood that the Serb Radical Party (SRS), through this amendment, merely wanted to further bind all political actors to keeping preservation of territorial integrity as a strategic aim that Serbia would not renounce regardless of the fact it was taking the path of European integration,“ said Kolundzija. SRS MP Dragan Todorovic said that his party’s decision, as all thus far, had been taken in agreement with party leader Vojislav Seselj. “We’ve set off down this road, the only possible one, and that is to ensure, via this amendment, that the current and any future government can do nothing that would harm Serbia’s interests, and that Serbia can only be viewed with Kosovo as its integral part,“ he explained. Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said the Radicals' readiness to vote for the SAA was the dawn of a new national consensus on the issue of EU integration. “What happened at yesterday’s parliamentary session is like what happened a few years ago when a national consensus was formed over the defense of territorial integrity. Today we see a national consensus being formed over EU entry which is of the utmost significance for our country,” said the deputy prime minister.“ What has happened is still very fresh, but it is of the utmost significance. It’s true that it provides more strength, maybe to the government to have over 220 MPs, but I must say that it strengthens the opposition too and that the political match will be more intense in future,” Djelic told state broadcaster RTS. He said that the broad consensus in parliament on the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) bolstered Serbia’s position, and sent a signal to foreign investors and the EU that the country supported entry into the European community, but not at the cost of losing Kosovo. Djelic said that Serbia’s diplomatic success thus far stemmed from national unity. “First the Constitution, then the resolutions that were adopted with large amounts of votes, ensured that our country would be taken seriously over this issue and would make serious progress,” the minister explained. Slavica Djukic Dejanovic (FoNet, archive)

Govt., opposition welcome consensus

“The idea is certainly to take good steps towards Serbia’s economic development and EU integration,“ said Đukić-Dejanović.

“The very text of the law, including the amendment, is completely in line with the Constitution and we’ve used this text to show what was, in fact, the position of the parliamentary majority at the outset, and to our great satisfaction a significant section of the opposition, that territorial integrity is number one for all of us, followed by economic development, which is impossible without the EU,“ the speaker explained.

DS Whip Nada Kolundžija echoed Đukić-Dejanović’s words.

“We unambiguously understood that the Serb Radical Party (SRS), through this amendment, merely wanted to further bind all political actors to keeping preservation of territorial integrity as a strategic aim that Serbia would not renounce regardless of the fact it was taking the path of European integration,“ said Kolundžija.

SRS MP Dragan Todorović said that his party’s decision, as all thus far, had been taken in agreement with party leader Vojislav Šešelj.

“We’ve set off down this road, the only possible one, and that is to ensure, via this amendment, that the current and any future government can do nothing that would harm Serbia’s interests, and that Serbia can only be viewed with Kosovo as its integral part,“ he explained.

Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić said the Radicals' readiness to vote for the SAA was the dawn of a new national consensus on the issue of EU integration.

“What happened at yesterday’s parliamentary session is like what happened a few years ago when a national consensus was formed over the defense of territorial integrity. Today we see a national consensus being formed over EU entry which is of the utmost significance for our country,” said the deputy prime minister.“

What has happened is still very fresh, but it is of the utmost significance. It’s true that it provides more strength, maybe to the government to have over 220 MPs, but I must say that it strengthens the opposition too and that the political match will be more intense in future,” Đelić told state broadcaster RTS.

He said that the broad consensus in parliament on the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) bolstered Serbia’s position, and sent a signal to foreign investors and the EU that the country supported entry into the European community, but not at the cost of losing Kosovo.

Đelić said that Serbia’s diplomatic success thus far stemmed from national unity.

“First the Constitution, then the resolutions that were adopted with large amounts of votes, ensured that our country would be taken seriously over this issue and would make serious progress,” the minister explained.