Germany "demands institutional discontinuity"

BELGRADE Germany insists on the shutdown of the existing institutions in northern Kosovo so that new ones could be set up, MP Milovan Drecun (SNS) has said. This is the key point of disagreement in the talks on the implementation of the Brussels agreement between Belgrade and Pristina,the chairman of the Parliament Committee on Kosovo and Metohija explained on Monday. Germany "demands institutional discontinuity" However, Drecun believes that the agreement on the implementation of the Brussels agreement will be reached. "Our stand is that there must be no discontinuity in the functioning of Serbian institutions and that they need to continue existing in a different format, under the charge of the community of Serb municipalities," Drecun told reporters in the parliament. The essence of the agreement signed in Brussels lies in the establishment of the community of Serb municipalities and this is the foundation to build the pillars of further normalisation of relations. Drecun recalled that a potential failure of the two sides to adjust their stands on the implementation of the Brussels agreement might affect the decision on the date of Serbia's EU talks. Still, he hopes that the rational stand of Germany and other EU countries will prevail. Drecun believes that the crucial factor pertaining to the issue of the agreement is the Tuesday meeting between Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and his Kosovo counterpart Hashim Thaci. “We cannot accept a shutdown of our institutions and the vacuum that would jeopardise the survival of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija,” Drecun said. According to him, the Monday visit of German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle to Serbia is important because Germany is the most influential member of the EU. “Still, we disagree on the essential interpretation of the agreement and this needs to be adjusted” Drecun said. (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

Germany "demands institutional discontinuity"

However, Drecun believes that the agreement on the implementation of the Brussels agreement will be reached.

"Our stand is that there must be no discontinuity in the functioning of Serbian institutions and that they need to continue existing in a different format, under the charge of the community of Serb municipalities," Drecun told reporters in the parliament.

The essence of the agreement signed in Brussels lies in the establishment of the community of Serb municipalities and this is the foundation to build the pillars of further normalisation of relations.

Drecun recalled that a potential failure of the two sides to adjust their stands on the implementation of the Brussels agreement might affect the decision on the date of Serbia's EU talks. Still, he hopes that the rational stand of Germany and other EU countries will prevail.

Drecun believes that the crucial factor pertaining to the issue of the agreement is the Tuesday meeting between Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić and his Kosovo counterpart Hashim Thaci. “We cannot accept a shutdown of our institutions and the vacuum that would jeopardise the survival of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija,” Drecun said.

According to him, the Monday visit of German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle to Serbia is important because Germany is the most influential member of the EU. “Still, we disagree on the essential interpretation of the agreement and this needs to be adjusted” Drecun said.