Tadić on Srebrenica, Kosovo, neighbors

President Boris Tadic said that the Srebrenica resolution needs to be supported by a large majority of political parties and the non-governmental sector. He told Belgrade weekly Vreme that it is very important for a consensus to be reached in parliament for the document to receive widespread support of the non-government sector in order for the condemnation of the crimes to be seen as a decision of the entire Serbian society. Tadic on Srebrenica, Kosovo, neighbors “This step up in values will be very important in the total transformation of our society into a civil society, and a condemnation of one horrible crime that became a symbol to the world for casualties in the war of the 1990s, and will be a distancing from the crime which was claimed to be done in the name of the Serb people. Serbia is improving its image and regional credibility with this act,” Tadic said. “Discussions have begun, first should the resolution be adopted, and then whether the word genocide should be used. These are futile discussions. The parliament is not a court to turn the question into an expert-legal debate. It is most important to condemn the horrible crime and for the terminology to be completely clear in the condemnation of the crime itself and sympathy for the suffering of the innocent victims of other nations,” Tadic said. He talked about Serbia’s security integrations, saying that a new stadium of participation in the Partnership for Peace will be opened during the government’s mandate, and denied that Serbia is trying to enter NATO “secretly” calling the rumors “ridiculous”. He said that Serbia is showing that it is a regional leader in the fight against organized crime, and said that he expects neighboring countries to follow suit. Commenting on relations between Serbia and regional countries, Tadic said that there are some misunderstandings with Montenegro, but that the ties between the people are so strong that nothing can make those relations essentially poor. “The recognition of Kosovo, which Serbia believes to be part of its territory, its southern province, adds to endangering of the territorial integrity of our country. That is why Serbia must react, but try to do it in a way that does not leave irreparable consequences,” Tadic said. As far as relations with Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska are concerned, Tadic said that Serbia remains a guarantor of the Dayton Peace Accord and that it will be openly against all initiatives that could endanger its heritage. “If someone were to try to organize, either in the Federation or Republic of Srpska, a referendum for the division of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia would say no. But Serbia principally has nothing against a referendum for the confirmation of the Dayton Agreement,” Tadic said. As far as relations with Croatia are concerned, Tadic said that the principles by which the countries can have the best friendly relations should be established at the beginning of new Croat President Ivo Josipovic’s mandate. Tadic added he “cannot imagine” a situation in the future where Serbia would have to recognize Kosovo in order to join the EU. “Serbia will do everything it can before the date of its entrance into the EU to take care of all conflicts in the region and solve the Kosovo problem. Serbia does not want a lasting conflict that would sooner or later endanger our national and civilian interests,” Tadic said. He said that he believes that an atmosphere will be created in the future for finding a compromise solution that will rid the entire region of the historical conflict in Kosovo. “The Kosovo problem demands a solution, but the solution cannot be for the issue to bee swept under the carpet, because some countries recognized Kosovo, turning a blind eye to the violation of international law and telling Serbia to accept the reality on the ground.” Such logic makes, Tadic continues, brings the international factors in a situation where they have to accept the reality that Serbs in Kosovo “do not want to accept the sovereignty of the so-called state of Kosovo on the entire territory”, he said. Speaking about the economic woes, Tadic said that “saving on all level have no alternative”, and that Serbia will not fall into further debt to cover public spending, but that some of the development projects will have to be financed through loans. He stressed that Serbia will not resort to the privatization of strategic public companies related to the electricity and gas industries, in order to solve its economic problems in the short-term. “The government is at this time very seriously considering the possibility of decreasing the obligations of the obligatory reserves, and, in agreement with the NBS governor, propose a package of economic measures, but under the condition that this freed-up money be invested in productive branches of the economy.” Boris Tadic (Beta)

Tadić on Srebrenica, Kosovo, neighbors

“This step up in values will be very important in the total transformation of our society into a civil society, and a condemnation of one horrible crime that became a symbol to the world for casualties in the war of the 1990s, and will be a distancing from the crime which was claimed to be done in the name of the Serb people. Serbia is improving its image and regional credibility with this act,” Tadić said.

“Discussions have begun, first should the resolution be adopted, and then whether the word genocide should be used. These are futile discussions. The parliament is not a court to turn the question into an expert-legal debate. It is most important to condemn the horrible crime and for the terminology to be completely clear in the condemnation of the crime itself and sympathy for the suffering of the innocent victims of other nations,” Tadić said.

He talked about Serbia’s security integrations, saying that a new stadium of participation in the Partnership for Peace will be opened during the government’s mandate, and denied that Serbia is trying to enter NATO “secretly” calling the rumors “ridiculous”.

He said that Serbia is showing that it is a regional leader in the fight against organized crime, and said that he expects neighboring countries to follow suit.

Commenting on relations between Serbia and regional countries, Tadić said that there are some misunderstandings with Montenegro, but that the ties between the people are so strong that nothing can make those relations essentially poor.

“The recognition of Kosovo, which Serbia believes to be part of its territory, its southern province, adds to endangering of the territorial integrity of our country. That is why Serbia must react, but try to do it in a way that does not leave irreparable consequences,” Tadić said.

As far as relations with Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska are concerned, Tadić said that Serbia remains a guarantor of the Dayton Peace Accord and that it will be openly against all initiatives that could endanger its heritage.

“If someone were to try to organize, either in the Federation or Republic of Srpska, a referendum for the division of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia would say no. But Serbia principally has nothing against a referendum for the confirmation of the Dayton Agreement,” Tadić said.

As far as relations with Croatia are concerned, Tadić said that the principles by which the countries can have the best friendly relations should be established at the beginning of new Croat President Ivo Josipović’s mandate.

Tadić added he “cannot imagine” a situation in the future where Serbia would have to recognize Kosovo in order to join the EU.

“Serbia will do everything it can before the date of its entrance into the EU to take care of all conflicts in the region and solve the Kosovo problem. Serbia does not want a lasting conflict that would sooner or later endanger our national and civilian interests,” Tadić said.

He said that he believes that an atmosphere will be created in the future for finding a compromise solution that will rid the entire region of the historical conflict in Kosovo.

“The Kosovo problem demands a solution, but the solution cannot be for the issue to bee swept under the carpet, because some countries recognized Kosovo, turning a blind eye to the violation of international law and telling Serbia to accept the reality on the ground.”

Such logic makes, Tadić continues, brings the international factors in a situation where they have to accept the reality that Serbs in Kosovo “do not want to accept the sovereignty of the so-called state of Kosovo on the entire territory”, he said.

Speaking about the economic woes, Tadić said that “saving on all level have no alternative”, and that Serbia will not fall into further debt to cover public spending, but that some of the development projects will have to be financed through loans.

He stressed that Serbia will not resort to the privatization of strategic public companies related to the electricity and gas industries, in order to solve its economic problems in the short-term.

“The government is at this time very seriously considering the possibility of decreasing the obligations of the obligatory reserves, and, in agreement with the NBS governor, propose a package of economic measures, but under the condition that this freed-up money be invested in productive branches of the economy.”