Slovenian FM: Serbia too sensitive

Slovenian FM Samuel Zbogar says that Serbia has been "too sensitive lately" due to expected opinion of International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Kosovo. The highest UN court is currently deliberating the legality under international law of the Kosovo Albanian UDI of two years ago. Slovenian FM: Serbia too sensitive Zbogar said in Brussels that "this was probably the reason why Serbian President Boris Tadic had not come to the conference in Brdo-pri-Kranju, because none of the proposed solutions had been acceptable to Serbia, as it had feared that it would prejudge the status of Kosovo", Slovenian media have reported. Serbia refused to attend the Slovenia conference unless Pristina was represented as Kosovo/UNMIK. According to media, Zbogar's comment "answered the question whether it was true that Spain was pressuring Tadic not to participate in the conference". “We were in favor, until the last moment, for President Tadic to participate in the conference. We looked for all possible ways for Kosovo and Serbia to participate and we were not successful,” the Slovenian FM said, and added that the only formula which worked in such conferences was the “Gymnich formula” – "without names of states and only with names of participants" displayed. “Will this work in Sarajevo, we’ll see. That’s the matter for the Spanish Presidency and (Catherine) Ashton,” he replied when asked would Spain, which did not recognize Kosovo, manage to have "both Serbia and Kosovo" at the conference planned in Sarajevo for May or June. “We will surely expect from the EU that both Serbia and Kosovo participate,” Zbogar said. He decisively rejected the writings of the Economist magazine, which stated that Slovenia could out of revenge obstruct Serbia on its way toward the EU after the conference in Brdo-pri-Kranju. “I think that Slovenian government is not acting vindictively, but rationally and in accordance with interests, and I think that it is in our interest and the European interest for Serbia to continue on the European journey. We will support it in that, as we have done so far,” Zbogar said and added that Serbia was an "important state in the region and an element of stability, which was why it was in Slovenia’s interest that European path remained a priority to Serbia".

Slovenian FM: Serbia too sensitive

Žbogar said in Brussels that "this was probably the reason why Serbian President Boris Tadić had not come to the conference in Brdo-pri-Kranju, because none of the proposed solutions had been acceptable to Serbia, as it had feared that it would prejudge the status of Kosovo", Slovenian media have reported.

Serbia refused to attend the Slovenia conference unless Priština was represented as Kosovo/UNMIK.

According to media, Žbogar's comment "answered the question whether it was true that Spain was pressuring Tadić not to participate in the conference".

“We were in favor, until the last moment, for President Tadić to participate in the conference. We looked for all possible ways for Kosovo and Serbia to participate and we were not successful,” the Slovenian FM said, and added that the only formula which worked in such conferences was the “Gymnich formula” – "without names of states and only with names of participants" displayed.

“Will this work in Sarajevo, we’ll see. That’s the matter for the Spanish Presidency and (Catherine) Ashton,” he replied when asked would Spain, which did not recognize Kosovo, manage to have "both Serbia and Kosovo" at the conference planned in Sarajevo for May or June.

“We will surely expect from the EU that both Serbia and Kosovo participate,” Žbogar said.

He decisively rejected the writings of the Economist magazine, which stated that Slovenia could out of revenge obstruct Serbia on its way toward the EU after the conference in Brdo-pri-Kranju.

“I think that Slovenian government is not acting vindictively, but rationally and in accordance with interests, and I think that it is in our interest and the European interest for Serbia to continue on the European journey. We will support it in that, as we have done so far,” Žbogar said and added that Serbia was an "important state in the region and an element of stability, which was why it was in Slovenia’s interest that European path remained a priority to Serbia".