"Govt. did well, must work more"

Although he believes that his cabinet performed well last year, PM Mirko Cvetkovic says he expect the government to "work more" in 2009. The premier expects that Serbia will in April officially apply for EU candidate status. Still, the year that just began will mostly be dedicated to fending off the effects of the global economic crisis. "Govt. did well, must work more" The fact that most of the promises listed in his keynote address as the government was sworn in last June have not been fulfilled does not seem to bother Cvetkovic. He believes that he has three more years to live up to the promises, and that 2009 will be the year that Serbia will get on the EU while Schengen list. The laws and strategies for this and the candidate bid will be adopted by the end of April at the latest, he added. Cvetkovic also believes that his cabinet is not to blame for the fact the EU chose not to unfreeze the SAA, an association agreement signed in April and suspended immediately, pending Serbia's full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. "What is it that we're supposed to have done, and have not done. I can't make a conclusion. I think that arresting one man, who has a name and last name, certainly cannot be a condition. If one had a desire, a political position not to cooperate, that could be a condition, they could say, 'you're not cooperating, therefore we won't', but I think and everyone is convinced that we have demonstrated our desire to cooperate," said Cvetkovic. As for the Kosovo status issue, the government will prepare for Serbia's case before the International Court of Justice. The process in Belgrade's case questioning the legality of the Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence is expected to start in 2010. "What lies ahead for Kosovo and Metohija is above all to continue to help the people who live there, to encourage them not to move," he said of the Kosovo Serbs. Economy-wise, 2008 was a good year, he continued, while 2009 will pass marked by the global crisis. "I think that our people still can't comprehend. This really is a huge world crisis, where tens, hundreds of thousands of people in the west are losing their jobs. And that is slowly transferring here. We have lowered our expectations for this year, " he said. Cvetkovic explained that while a memorandum put together in mid-2008 set the growth rate at six to seven percent, that figure is now expected to be at 3-3.5 percent. The prime minister also commended his cabinet for "not having been involved in a single affair", while some problems, such as the huge salaries for public companies' directors, "were inherited". Mirko Cvetkovic (Tanjug)

"Govt. did well, must work more"

The fact that most of the promises listed in his keynote address as the government was sworn in last June have not been fulfilled does not seem to bother Cvetković. He believes that he has three more years to live up to the promises, and that 2009 will be the year that Serbia will get on the EU while Schengen list.

The laws and strategies for this and the candidate bid will be adopted by the end of April at the latest, he added.

Cvetković also believes that his cabinet is not to blame for the fact the EU chose not to unfreeze the SAA, an association agreement signed in April and suspended immediately, pending Serbia's full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.

"What is it that we're supposed to have done, and have not done. I can't make a conclusion. I think that arresting one man, who has a name and last name, certainly cannot be a condition. If one had a desire, a political position not to cooperate, that could be a condition, they could say, 'you're not cooperating, therefore we won't', but I think and everyone is convinced that we have demonstrated our desire to cooperate," said Cvetković.

As for the Kosovo status issue, the government will prepare for Serbia's case before the International Court of Justice. The process in Belgrade's case questioning the legality of the Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence is expected to start in 2010.

"What lies ahead for Kosovo and Metohija is above all to continue to help the people who live there, to encourage them not to move," he said of the Kosovo Serbs.

Economy-wise, 2008 was a good year, he continued, while 2009 will pass marked by the global crisis.

"I think that our people still can't comprehend. This really is a huge world crisis, where tens, hundreds of thousands of people in the west are losing their jobs. And that is slowly transferring here. We have lowered our expectations for this year, " he said.

Cvetković explained that while a memorandum put together in mid-2008 set the growth rate at six to seven percent, that figure is now expected to be at 3-3.5 percent.

The prime minister also commended his cabinet for "not having been involved in a single affair", while some problems, such as the huge salaries for public companies' directors, "were inherited".