Koštunica on DS Kosovo stance: Empty sloganeering

Vojislav Kostunica says a victory of the DS and their coalition could threaten the defense of Kosovo. In an interview for today's Vecernje Novosti, Kostunica, the leader of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), who is also presiding over the caretaker government until the May 11 ballot, said his distrust of the coalition partners when it comes to the preservation of Kosovo inside Serbia's borders was confirmed recently. Kostunica on DS Kosovo stance: Empty sloganeering The parliament, dissolved on March 13, less than a year since it was elected, produced a DSS, New Serbia (NS), Democratic Party (DS) and G17 Plus cabinet. President Boris Tadic's Democrats have teamed up with Mladjan Dinkic's G17 Plus, Vuk Draskovic's Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) and Nenad Canak's League of Vojvodina Social Democrats (LSV) for the early May vote. Now Kostunica, dubbing their coalition list "Canak-DS-G17 Plus", launched a scathing attack on the former cabinet partners. "Their statements – that they believe their own eyes that Kosovo is independent – are clear and remarkable, and they also claim it is collective madness to say that Kosovo is Serbia. I think many citizens are worried about this new policy," he said. The outgoing prime minister also said that the stance on the defense of Kosovo, displayed by the DS and G17 Plus, caused "serious concern" with him as well. The Democrats' proclamations that Serbia will never recognize Kosovo, and that the EU has no alternative, were described by Kostunica as "empty sloganeering lacking in content and action". "Today, Canak and G17 Plus are the guarantee that this coalition will not recognize Kosovo. Who could believe that. It is enough to imagine where Serbia would be at this moment if this coalition led the country in the past years. Just as they say today that they will defend Kosovo, so they will tomorrow defend Vojvodina, and any other part of our country," the DSS leader told the daily. Kostunica also said the DS claims that the EU is not where Serbia's borders are determined are untrue, since, in his words, every SAA signed with the states that wished to join the Union has a clear provision about respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity and internationally recognized borders of those states. The prime minister also said the president is not authorized to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), since the constitution allows only the government to sign such documents. "I assume that the president of the Republic will honor the constitution and that it was more of a metaphorical pronouncement," Kostunica said. Tadic said recently he would "sing the SAA tomorrow if the EU offered it". On the other hand, Kostunica continued, if Tadic were to sign such a deal without previous serious conversations with Brussels and clarification of all the contentious issues, that would be an attempt to indirectly approve February 17, "and the creation of the first NATO state in the world". "I believe there will not be a parliamentary majority to ratify such an agreement," Kostunica concluded. His coalition partner, and outgoing infrastructure minister, Velimir Ilic (NS), also today commented on why the previous cabinet collapsed. Kosovo, he said, is not the only reason. Ilic accused former coalition partners gathered around the Democrats of obstructing many important undertakings, by blocking the ratification of several international economic cooperation contracts and loans, "causing great damage and jeopardizing the country's economic system". "[Ministers] Mladjan Dinkic, Bozidar Djelic and Dragan Djilas must be held accountable for spending EUR 2.16bn the privatizations brought in, while Speaker Oliver Dulic did not put a contract on a EUR 340mn loan for the construction of roads on the parliamentary agenda," he said today. These funds, Ilic continued, remain unused, "while banking tycoons benefit from huge interest rates". He also criticized Tadic for forming a coalition "with the likes of Canak or Kostres, who are working to break up the country's wholeness". "This is something hard to explain, and it is curious even for many influential members of the Democratic Party," Ilic said. He also accused "those responsible" for "disarming our Army while others are arming themselves", as well as for allowing some media that are "leading an open hunt against Serbia" to be awarded national frequencies, "calmly standing by, as the Church, and our way of living, are under attack at this difficult time for the state and the nation". Vojislav Kostunica, Velimir Ilic (Tanjug)

Koštunica on DS Kosovo stance: Empty sloganeering

The parliament, dissolved on March 13, less than a year since it was elected, produced a DSS, New Serbia (NS), Democratic Party (DS) and G17 Plus cabinet.

President Boris Tadić's Democrats have teamed up with Mlađan Dinkić's G17 Plus, Vuk Drašković's Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) and Nenad Čanak's League of Vojvodina Social Democrats (LSV) for the early May vote.

Now Koštunica, dubbing their coalition list "Čanak-DS-G17 Plus", launched a scathing attack on the former cabinet partners.

"Their statements – that they believe their own eyes that Kosovo is independent – are clear and remarkable, and they also claim it is collective madness to say that Kosovo is Serbia. I think many citizens are worried about this new policy," he said.

The outgoing prime minister also said that the stance on the defense of Kosovo, displayed by the DS and G17 Plus, caused "serious concern" with him as well.

The Democrats' proclamations that Serbia will never recognize Kosovo, and that the EU has no alternative, were described by Koštunica as "empty sloganeering lacking in content and action".

"Today, Čanak and G17 Plus are the guarantee that this coalition will not recognize Kosovo. Who could believe that. It is enough to imagine where Serbia would be at this moment if this coalition led the country in the past years. Just as they say today that they will defend Kosovo, so they will tomorrow defend Vojvodina, and any other part of our country," the DSS leader told the daily.

Koštunica also said the DS claims that the EU is not where Serbia's borders are determined are untrue, since, in his words, every SAA signed with the states that wished to join the Union has a clear provision about respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity and internationally recognized borders of those states.

The prime minister also said the president is not authorized to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), since the constitution allows only the government to sign such documents.

"I assume that the president of the Republic will honor the constitution and that it was more of a metaphorical pronouncement," Koštunica said.

Tadić said recently he would "sing the SAA tomorrow if the EU offered it".

On the other hand, Koštunica continued, if Tadić were to sign such a deal without previous serious conversations with Brussels and clarification of all the contentious issues, that would be an attempt to indirectly approve February 17, "and the creation of the first NATO state in the world".

"I believe there will not be a parliamentary majority to ratify such an agreement," Koštunica concluded.

His coalition partner, and outgoing infrastructure minister, Velimir Ilić (NS), also today commented on why the previous cabinet collapsed.

Kosovo, he said, is not the only reason.

Ilić accused former coalition partners gathered around the Democrats of obstructing many important undertakings, by blocking the ratification of several international economic cooperation contracts and loans, "causing great damage and jeopardizing the country's economic system".

"[Ministers] Mlađan Dinkić, Božidar Đelić and Dragan Đilas must be held accountable for spending EUR 2.16bn the privatizations brought in, while Speaker Oliver Dulić did not put a contract on a EUR 340mn loan for the construction of roads on the parliamentary agenda," he said today.

These funds, Ilić continued, remain unused, "while banking tycoons benefit from huge interest rates".

He also criticized Tadić for forming a coalition "with the likes of Čanak or Kostreš, who are working to break up the country's wholeness".

"This is something hard to explain, and it is curious even for many influential members of the Democratic Party," Ilić said.

He also accused "those responsible" for "disarming our Army while others are arming themselves", as well as for allowing some media that are "leading an open hunt against Serbia" to be awarded national frequencies, "calmly standing by, as the Church, and our way of living, are under attack at this difficult time for the state and the nation".