Committee chair: Change of Constitution "not realistic"

BELGRADE Serbian Parliament Committee on Kosovo Chairman Milovan Drecun said on Friday it was unrealistic to expect a change in the Constitution because of Kosovo. A change in the Constitution can be expected if there is a solution in accordance with the Kosovo platform and resolution for the talks with the provisional authorities in Kosovo, he explained. Committee chair: Change of Constitution "not realistic" According to Drecun, a ruling SNS party MP, Serbia cannot and will not give up its southern province. "I see no possibility of dividing Kosovo or of Serbia recognizing its unilaterally declared independence in any form," he stressed. Commenting on Prime Minister Ivica Dacic statement that the authorities have been "deceiving the people for ten years, telling them Kosovo is Serbian", Drecun said he could not read Dacic's mind - but can only interpret the documents adopted by the Serbian parliament. "Serbia wants an association of Serb municipalities with executive authority as an optimal model to protect the Serb population north of the Ibar river and ensure its survival there," Drecun remarked. "There is pressure from Brussels in hope that Serbia would give in in order to get the start date for the accession talks with the EU," he said. "Serbia has said clearly it will not agree to recognize Kosovo's illegal secession in order to get the start date for the accession talks in June," the committee chairman concluded. (Tanjug, file) "Law for association of Serb municipalities" Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said on Friday that it would be "necessary to pass a constitutional law on powers that would be entrusted to an association of Serb municipalities in Kosovo, which might require a change in the Constitution". Dacic told a press conference in Belgrade that Serbia's state leaders "have not addressed this issue". “If we follow the logic behind the adoption of the platform and resolution on Kosovo in parliament, we will arrive at passing a constitutional law to entrust authority to an association of Serb municipalities,” Dacic said. He pointed out that the procedure to amend the Constitution was "quite complicated and requires a broad consensus". Tanjug

Committee chair: Change of Constitution "not realistic"

According to Drecun, a ruling SNS party MP, Serbia cannot and will not give up its southern province.

"I see no possibility of dividing Kosovo or of Serbia recognizing its unilaterally declared independence in any form," he stressed.

Commenting on Prime Minister Ivica Dačić statement that the authorities have been "deceiving the people for ten years, telling them Kosovo is Serbian", Drecun said he could not read Dačić's mind - but can only interpret the documents adopted by the Serbian parliament.

"Serbia wants an association of Serb municipalities with executive authority as an optimal model to protect the Serb population north of the Ibar river and ensure its survival there," Drecun remarked.

"There is pressure from Brussels in hope that Serbia would give in in order to get the start date for the accession talks with the EU," he said.

"Serbia has said clearly it will not agree to recognize Kosovo's illegal secession in order to get the start date for the accession talks in June," the committee chairman concluded.

"Law for association of Serb municipalities"

Prime Minister Ivica Dačić said on Friday that it would be "necessary to pass a constitutional law on powers that would be entrusted to an association of Serb municipalities in Kosovo, which might require a change in the Constitution".

Dačić told a press conference in Belgrade that Serbia's state leaders "have not addressed this issue".

“If we follow the logic behind the adoption of the platform and resolution on Kosovo in parliament, we will arrive at passing a constitutional law to entrust authority to an association of Serb municipalities,” Dačić said.

He pointed out that the procedure to amend the Constitution was "quite complicated and requires a broad consensus".