Opposition party leader says Serbia has "wrong EU policy”

Opposition Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) leader Vojislav Kostunica has said that “Kosovo belongs to us because it is ours”. At a DSS Main Board meeting he said that the DSS was advocating bigger development of Serbia and higher employment, the way it was during his government’s mandate. Opposition party leader says Serbia has "wrong EU policy” The DSS leader has assessed that Serbia’s biggest problem was the fact that the current government had stopped the country’s development and especially criticized “wrong and unrealistic policy toward the European Union”. Kostunica said that Serbia and the EU should base their cooperation on mutual interest and respect and added that Belgrade should clearly tell Brussels that not a single European country had traded its territory and that Serbia could not do it either. “We don’t need anybody to give us anything but we don’t need them to take anything away from us either. Kosovo belongs to us because it is ours and what’s EU’s belongs to the EU. It turns out that Kosovo is more important to the EU than to the Serbian authorities. Brussels cares more about taking Kosovo away from us than the current government cares about protecting it,” Kostunica stressed. He especially criticized the situation in the country and assessed that the current government had not kept any pre-election promise. “We could start from the first and the simplest question – what is the wage in Serbia today, what was the wage before the current, quasi socially responsible government was created,” the DSS leader pointed out. He said that the economy was devastated, that 70,000 firms were blocked, that the agriculture was being systematically destroyed, that highways existed only in projects and that the situation was difficult in culture, education, health system and judiciary. “This is why the main topic in the upcoming elections should not be the EU, because the question of Serbia’s EU accession will not be raised before the end of the decade. The real topic is Serbia’s development and how to jump-start the economy and employ the people,” he stressed. Speaking about the idea for solution of Kosovo issue, the DSS leader said that every solution needed to be in accordance with Serbia’s Constitution. He pointed out that the Republic of Srpska (RS) was an example for Serbia how an inferior relation with western centers of power could be replaced with a policy of defense of Serbian national interests. Commenting on DSS’ goals in the future, Kostunica said that the primary goal was to jump-start the country’s development, establish national unity and a consensus that Kosovo, Vojvodina and Raska were unalienable parts of Serbia. He stressed that cooperation with Russia, EU, U.S., China and other countries, maintaining the military neutral status and further strengthening of economical, cultural and social ties between Serbia and the RS in accordance with the Dayton Accords were also the party's goals. “The sixth goal is to stop Serbia’s extinction and to restart life, birth and strengthening of traditional family values,” the DSS leader concluded. Vojislav Kostunica

Opposition party leader says Serbia has "wrong EU policy”

The DSS leader has assessed that Serbia’s biggest problem was the fact that the current government had stopped the country’s development and especially criticized “wrong and unrealistic policy toward the European Union”.

Koštunica said that Serbia and the EU should base their cooperation on mutual interest and respect and added that Belgrade should clearly tell Brussels that not a single European country had traded its territory and that Serbia could not do it either.

“We don’t need anybody to give us anything but we don’t need them to take anything away from us either. Kosovo belongs to us because it is ours and what’s EU’s belongs to the EU. It turns out that Kosovo is more important to the EU than to the Serbian authorities. Brussels cares more about taking Kosovo away from us than the current government cares about protecting it,” Koštunica stressed.

He especially criticized the situation in the country and assessed that the current government had not kept any pre-election promise.

“We could start from the first and the simplest question – what is the wage in Serbia today, what was the wage before the current, quasi socially responsible government was created,” the DSS leader pointed out.

He said that the economy was devastated, that 70,000 firms were blocked, that the agriculture was being systematically destroyed, that highways existed only in projects and that the situation was difficult in culture, education, health system and judiciary.

“This is why the main topic in the upcoming elections should not be the EU, because the question of Serbia’s EU accession will not be raised before the end of the decade. The real topic is Serbia’s development and how to jump-start the economy and employ the people,” he stressed.

Speaking about the idea for solution of Kosovo issue, the DSS leader said that every solution needed to be in accordance with Serbia’s Constitution.

He pointed out that the Republic of Srpska (RS) was an example for Serbia how an inferior relation with western centers of power could be replaced with a policy of defense of Serbian national interests.

Commenting on DSS’ goals in the future, Koštunica said that the primary goal was to jump-start the country’s development, establish national unity and a consensus that Kosovo, Vojvodina and Raška were unalienable parts of Serbia.

He stressed that cooperation with Russia, EU, U.S., China and other countries, maintaining the military neutral status and further strengthening of economical, cultural and social ties between Serbia and the RS in accordance with the Dayton Accords were also the party's goals.

“The sixth goal is to stop Serbia’s extinction and to restart life, birth and strengthening of traditional family values,” the DSS leader concluded.