SRS resolution re-opens coalition rift

Boris Tadic says that the resolution proposed by the Radicals aims to break off talks between Serbia and the EU. The president said that the document’s position—that Serbia should enter the EU intact—was undeniable as “no-one in Serbia today wanted Serbia to enter the EU without Kosovo.” SRS resolution re-opens coalition rift The problem, he said, was the part of the resolution that wanted the EU to formally say something “that it is neither able nor has the capacity to say, since the Union does not recognize states, rather this is down to the member-states themselves.” This resolution, Tadic pointed out, “is in no way a resolution on preserving Serbia’s integrity,” but a document that would technically lead to the collapse of talks on EU membership. “In no way would we be defending Kosovo any more than we are doing today. This would have no positive effects in the defense of Kosovo. Such a resolution would only help those political forces in Serbia that seek to cut the country off from future EU membership,” underlined the president. He explained that the resolution went against the interests of Serbian citizens as without further European integration, the economy and state finances would collapse, as no-one would invest in the country any longer or create new jobs. We saw the face of such a decision in the nineties when there was a lot of talk of patriotism, but the country ground to a halt, said Tadic. The president said that there was no doubt that Kosovo was being used as an excuse to send the message that Serbia did not actually want the EU. In his opinion, such matters could not be permitted as, at the recent presidential elections, the citizens had clearly come out in favor of defending Kosovo and EU membership. Asked whether adoption of the resolution, that the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and New Serbia (NS) have both announced their support for, would lead to the creation of a new parliamentary majority, Tadic said that this was very realistic and said that if the DSS and NS wished such a majority, they had to make this officially clear in parliament. “As long as the five principles that the government was built on exist, the government will continue; as long as this parliamentary majority exists, the government will continue,“ stressed the president. If the DSS and NS want to change these principles and distance Serbia from Europe, he said that they would have to form a new parliamentary majority with the Serb Radical Party and parties that supported that platform. “I’m sure that there will be no such majority, but the cards are on the table now. The DSS can form a new parliamentary majority at any moment, and it’s a question of whether the party wishes to do so or not,” explained Tadic. The president said that the resolution, if adopted, would not bind the government, as the government was bound to proceed according to the five principles. Boris Tadic (FoNet, archive)

SRS resolution re-opens coalition rift

The problem, he said, was the part of the resolution that wanted the EU to formally say something “that it is neither able nor has the capacity to say, since the Union does not recognize states, rather this is down to the member-states themselves.”

This resolution, Tadić pointed out, “is in no way a resolution on preserving Serbia’s integrity,” but a document that would technically lead to the collapse of talks on EU membership.

“In no way would we be defending Kosovo any more than we are doing today. This would have no positive effects in the defense of Kosovo. Such a resolution would only help those political forces in Serbia that seek to cut the country off from future EU membership,” underlined the president.

He explained that the resolution went against the interests of Serbian citizens as without further European integration, the economy and state finances would collapse, as no-one would invest in the country any longer or create new jobs.

We saw the face of such a decision in the nineties when there was a lot of talk of patriotism, but the country ground to a halt, said Tadić.

The president said that there was no doubt that Kosovo was being used as an excuse to send the message that Serbia did not actually want the EU.

In his opinion, such matters could not be permitted as, at the recent presidential elections, the citizens had clearly come out in favor of defending Kosovo and EU membership.

Asked whether adoption of the resolution, that the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and New Serbia (NS) have both announced their support for, would lead to the creation of a new parliamentary majority, Tadić said that this was very realistic and said that if the DSS and NS wished such a majority, they had to make this officially clear in parliament.

“As long as the five principles that the government was built on exist, the government will continue; as long as this parliamentary majority exists, the government will continue,“ stressed the president.

If the DSS and NS want to change these principles and distance Serbia from Europe, he said that they would have to form a new parliamentary majority with the Serb Radical Party and parties that supported that platform.

“I’m sure that there will be no such majority, but the cards are on the table now. The DSS can form a new parliamentary majority at any moment, and it’s a question of whether the party wishes to do so or not,” explained Tadić.

The president said that the resolution, if adopted, would not bind the government, as the government was bound to proceed according to the five principles.