Tadić on regional ties, Hague cooperation

President Boris Tadic says that Serbia wants to have the best relations with Macedonia and Montenegro. In an interview for Beta on Saturday, he added that it is now up to the governments of those countries to make the first step. Tadic on regional ties, Hague cooperation After Podgorica and Skopje recognized Kosovo Albanians’ unilateral declaration of independence, Belgrade expelled their ambassadors. But Tadic today explained that it did not in fact lower the level of the diplomatic relations. “It is not Serbia’s turn to return the Montenegrin and Macedonian ambassadors, but for these countries to come up with a proposal on who their new ambassadors to Serbia would be. Only then, Serbia will appraise the situation and make an adequate decision that will protect the citizens’ interests.” The fact that the level of diplomatic ties remained the same, Tadic said, “in the diplomatic-technical sense, leaves potential for them to be renewed”. He also commented on Montenegrin PM Milo Djukanovic’s recent statement that it is up to Serbia to make the first move, “because Serbia was the one that deteriorated relations with Montenegro”. “Obviously, the fact has been neglected that Montenegro recognized the independence of a province that is a part of Serb sovereignty,” Tadic said. As for the relations with Croatia, which have lately received negative marks from officials in both countries, Tadic described them as “key to the stability of the Balkans”, adding that “therefore, it serves nobody’s interest that these relations are poor, with the level of bilateral cooperation shrinking”. The president also said he believes he has “done a lot” to develop the ties between Serbia and Croatia, including his apology to the Croats who were “the victims of crimes someone committed in the name of the Serb people”, but that “a similar apology never came from the Croatian side”. “Obviously there is no awareness in the Croatian politics about the necessity for an apology, and about the large number of Serb victims,” Tadic said, and added that all this would not contribute to the future building of bilateral ties and cooperation. He also mentioned that in almost every sporting event in Croatia, the crowds chant “an unthinkable slogan”, namely, “Kill the Serb”. “The Croatian politics” looks a this “with ease, as if this is a question of political slang, rather than a frightening, non-civilized message that has its source in history”. Tadic also mentioned the two countries’ economic ties, to appraise that they “have had better phases”, and note that while Serbia is open for Croatian-made products, there is no reciprocity on the other side. Asked whether Serbia’s EU ambition will suffer further setbacks in the form of new conditions being put before Belgrade, Tadic said that he “cannot promise citizens that there will be no new conditioning”. “There will be that sort of thing, but the skill of our politicians must be seen in their power to evade possible conditions and fight for the interest of our citizens. And we will keep fighting,” the president said. According to him, the EU association process has been slowed down due to a parliamentary blockade. Tadic said the upcoming report by Chief Hague Prosecutor Serge Brammertz to the UN Security Council on Serbia’s cooperation may still see Serbia get “not only a positive report, but what matters more, a positive stance from all 27 EU members on the implementation of the SAA which we have signed”. As for the search for the remaining two fugitives, it is “permanent”, he said, and added that “we respect international obligations, and that process will be finished”. “At this point, unfortunately, I cannot say precisely when, but it will be finalized. I am convinced that the citizen of Serbia are tired of hearing that there is a search for the Hague fugitives, and that they want this story put to rest,” Tadic said. Boris Tadic (Beta)

Tadić on regional ties, Hague cooperation

After Podgorica and Skopje recognized Kosovo Albanians’ unilateral declaration of independence, Belgrade expelled their ambassadors. But Tadić today explained that it did not in fact lower the level of the diplomatic relations.

“It is not Serbia’s turn to return the Montenegrin and Macedonian ambassadors, but for these countries to come up with a proposal on who their new ambassadors to Serbia would be. Only then, Serbia will appraise the situation and make an adequate decision that will protect the citizens’ interests.”

The fact that the level of diplomatic ties remained the same, Tadić said, “in the diplomatic-technical sense, leaves potential for them to be renewed”.

He also commented on Montenegrin PM Milo Đukanović’s recent statement that it is up to Serbia to make the first move, “because Serbia was the one that deteriorated relations with Montenegro”.

“Obviously, the fact has been neglected that Montenegro recognized the independence of a province that is a part of Serb sovereignty,” Tadić said.

As for the relations with Croatia, which have lately received negative marks from officials in both countries, Tadić described them as “key to the stability of the Balkans”, adding that “therefore, it serves nobody’s interest that these relations are poor, with the level of bilateral cooperation shrinking”.

The president also said he believes he has “done a lot” to develop the ties between Serbia and Croatia, including his apology to the Croats who were “the victims of crimes someone committed in the name of the Serb people”, but that “a similar apology never came from the Croatian side”.

“Obviously there is no awareness in the Croatian politics about the necessity for an apology, and about the large number of Serb victims,” Tadić said, and added that all this would not contribute to the future building of bilateral ties and cooperation.

He also mentioned that in almost every sporting event in Croatia, the crowds chant “an unthinkable slogan”, namely, “Kill the Serb”.

“The Croatian politics” looks a this “with ease, as if this is a question of political slang, rather than a frightening, non-civilized message that has its source in history”.

Tadić also mentioned the two countries’ economic ties, to appraise that they “have had better phases”, and note that while Serbia is open for Croatian-made products, there is no reciprocity on the other side.

Asked whether Serbia’s EU ambition will suffer further setbacks in the form of new conditions being put before Belgrade, Tadić said that he “cannot promise citizens that there will be no new conditioning”.

“There will be that sort of thing, but the skill of our politicians must be seen in their power to evade possible conditions and fight for the interest of our citizens. And we will keep fighting,” the president said.

According to him, the EU association process has been slowed down due to a parliamentary blockade.

Tadić said the upcoming report by Chief Hague Prosecutor Serge Brammertz to the UN Security Council on Serbia’s cooperation may still see Serbia get “not only a positive report, but what matters more, a positive stance from all 27 EU members on the implementation of the SAA which we have signed”.

As for the search for the remaining two fugitives, it is “permanent”, he said, and added that “we respect international obligations, and that process will be finished”.

“At this point, unfortunately, I cannot say precisely when, but it will be finalized. I am convinced that the citizen of Serbia are tired of hearing that there is a search for the Hague fugitives, and that they want this story put to rest,” Tadić said.