PM: Wiretapping meant to bring discord into cabinet

BELGRADE Ivica Dacic says it is possible that the "wiretapping" of state officials was supposed to bring discord into his cabinet, and between him and Aleksandar Vucic. "Then those who afterwards placed this information would present themselves as trusted people," the prime minister told Serbia's public broadcaster RTS late on Monday, and added: PM: Wiretapping meant to bring discord into cabinet "That will not be possible, I don't care who's rooting for whom." As for the allegations, Dacic said that the "process of the investigation" was ongoing, that it was conducted both by the prosecution and the Interior Ministry (MUP) internal control, and that he and his first deputy, Vucic, were in agreement "on these issues": "It is known who is being mentioned in which investigations, we must see if phone records were also taken, if approvals existed." He stressed that he believed that Vucic was telling the truth about the wiretapping, "because he immediately contacted me even before this became public", and that an investigation was launched then. Dacic, who also serves as interior minister, stated that he "had no information about the wiretapping of Vucic and President Tomislav Nikolic", while it was the police that was legally obligated to inform him about such activities. He explained that the police director was heading the police, and that they were under obligation to inform the minister, while the minister's decisions taken after that were binding. Dacic added that he was not insisting on a law that removed interior minister's operative role to be changed - "because that is part of the Europeanization of the security system". As for the selection of MUP's new police directorm who will replace Milorad Veljovic, Dacic said the competition for the job, to be announced on Wednesday, was "part of a normal process". The prime minister revealed that the Democratic Party (DS) and the cabinet of former President Boris Tadic had insisted that Veljovic should continue in his job even after his mandate expired, and that an agreement was reached "that it should remain so until after the (May) elections". Addressing the issues of Serbia's EU ambition and Kosovo, Dacic said that "nobody, not even EU high representative Catherine Ashton" knows whether Serbia will be given a date for the start of its membership talks in December or in March, but that it was "important that Serbia got on the track that leads to getting a date faster". This was made possible, the prime minister continued, because he met to negotiate with Hashim Thaci, and stressed as exceptionally positive that eight EU countries recently met "in order to organize themselves when it comes to Serbia", because they believe Serbia's constructive approach should be awarded by giving the country a date as soon as possible. Dacic also spoke in favor of organizing an international conference on Kosovo, whose purpose would be "to harmonize Serb goals with the goals of the great powers". According to him, it is most important to protect the Serbs in Kosovo, "because they could disappear from the province in a couple of year's time", and repeated that the Kosovo problem "must be solved during the mandate of this government". According to Tanjug, the prime minister further stressed that "we could see the fate of the Republic of Serb Krajina if it does not seize the favorable moment to solve the Kosovo issue". Vucic and Dacic are seen during a cabinet meeting (Beta, file) RTS Tanjug

PM: Wiretapping meant to bring discord into cabinet

"That will not be possible, I don't care who's rooting for whom."

As for the allegations, Dačić said that the "process of the investigation" was ongoing, that it was conducted both by the prosecution and the Interior Ministry (MUP) internal control, and that he and his first deputy, Vučić, were in agreement "on these issues":

"It is known who is being mentioned in which investigations, we must see if phone records were also taken, if approvals existed."

He stressed that he believed that Vučić was telling the truth about the wiretapping, "because he immediately contacted me even before this became public", and that an investigation was launched then.

Dačić, who also serves as interior minister, stated that he "had no information about the wiretapping of Vučić and President Tomislav Nikolić", while it was the police that was legally obligated to inform him about such activities.

He explained that the police director was heading the police, and that they were under obligation to inform the minister, while the minister's decisions taken after that were binding.

Dačić added that he was not insisting on a law that removed interior minister's operative role to be changed - "because that is part of the Europeanization of the security system".

As for the selection of MUP's new police directorm who will replace Milorad Veljović, Dačić said the competition for the job, to be announced on Wednesday, was "part of a normal process".

The prime minister revealed that the Democratic Party (DS) and the cabinet of former President Boris Tadić had insisted that Veljović should continue in his job even after his mandate expired, and that an agreement was reached "that it should remain so until after the (May) elections".

Addressing the issues of Serbia's EU ambition and Kosovo, Dačić said that "nobody, not even EU high representative Catherine Ashton" knows whether Serbia will be given a date for the start of its membership talks in December or in March, but that it was "important that Serbia got on the track that leads to getting a date faster".

This was made possible, the prime minister continued, because he met to negotiate with Hashim Thaci, and stressed as exceptionally positive that eight EU countries recently met "in order to organize themselves when it comes to Serbia", because they believe Serbia's constructive approach should be awarded by giving the country a date as soon as possible.

Dačić also spoke in favor of organizing an international conference on Kosovo, whose purpose would be "to harmonize Serb goals with the goals of the great powers".

According to him, it is most important to protect the Serbs in Kosovo, "because they could disappear from the province in a couple of year's time", and repeated that the Kosovo problem "must be solved during the mandate of this government".

According to Tanjug, the prime minister further stressed that "we could see the fate of the Republic of Serb Krajina if it does not seize the favorable moment to solve the Kosovo issue".