Deputy prime minister revisits "partition statements"

Serbia's Deputy PM Ivica Dacic today commented on his own statement in favor of a partition of Kosovo, given to a Pristina daily over the weekend. Speaking to reporters in Belgrade on Monday, Dacic said he was in fact not advocating partition, but rather separation, while the citizens would decide "on such a change to the Constitution", in a referendum. Deputy prime minister revisits "partition statements" Serbia's Constitution states that all of the province is an integral part of the country. Dacic continued to say that "a speedy and realistic solution for Kosovo as a compromise between Serbs and (ethnic) Albanians" was needed. Kosovo's ethnic Albanians unilaterally declared independence over three years ago, but Serbia rejected the act as illegal. "I never used the word partition... the idea of separation could be a solution on which the citizens would declare themselves," said Dacic, adding that this would "entail changes to the Constitution, and that's a procedure". Asked whether this was his private stance or that of the government, Dacic said it was "a suggestion of a man who was born in Kosovo and who lived there". "I'm a party president, I'm not a government clerk," asserted the minister. "You don't think the prime minister will determine my political party's program for me. I'm not attacking anyone in the government," he was quoted as saying. When a reporter noted that this ran contrary to the government code of conduct, Dacic said: "Let them exclude me from the government. So what? Maybe it would be best if no one dared speak their mind, if everyone wore duct-tape over their mouth." Dacic further asserted that he "merely expressed the opinion of a majority of the citizens", and that he previously made this suggestion to - Slobodan Milosevic. Milosevic was the Serbian and Yugoslav president in the 1990s, and the founder and life-long leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), which is now headed by Ivica Dacic. "Had the issue of the former Yugoslavia been solved in this manner, there wouldn't have been any wars," believes Dacic. According to him, "a compromise is necessary, because otherwise since Serbia considers all of Kosovo a part of Serbia - which no (ethnic) Albanian politician accepts - Belgrade should use military means to realize its ideas, if negotiations fail." He also said that the ethnic Albanian side "faces a similar situation", and that such positions "would in that case lead to a new war". "I do not wish to change the Kosovo policy. Nobody can accuse me of not defending Kosovo in all possible ways. We from the Socialist Party defended Kosovo with arms, unlike some in Belgrade who only forged theories," said the minister. But Dacic conceded that "the EU, the U.S., Serbia and Pristina" all opposed his "separation" idea. "Since they're all against it, I'd like someone to tell me what the solution for Kosovo is... My job is not to tell the Serbian citizens fairy-tales, but to see how Serbia will live from now on," concluded Dacic. Ivica Dacic (file)

Deputy prime minister revisits "partition statements"

Serbia's Constitution states that all of the province is an integral part of the country.

Dačić continued to say that "a speedy and realistic solution for Kosovo as a compromise between Serbs and (ethnic) Albanians" was needed.

Kosovo's ethnic Albanians unilaterally declared independence over three years ago, but Serbia rejected the act as illegal.

"I never used the word partition... the idea of separation could be a solution on which the citizens would declare themselves," said Dačić, adding that this would "entail changes to the Constitution, and that's a procedure".

Asked whether this was his private stance or that of the government, Dačić said it was "a suggestion of a man who was born in Kosovo and who lived there".

"I'm a party president, I'm not a government clerk," asserted the minister. "You don't think the prime minister will determine my political party's program for me. I'm not attacking anyone in the government," he was quoted as saying.

When a reporter noted that this ran contrary to the government code of conduct, Dačić said: "Let them exclude me from the government. So what? Maybe it would be best if no one dared speak their mind, if everyone wore duct-tape over their mouth."

Dačić further asserted that he "merely expressed the opinion of a majority of the citizens", and that he previously made this suggestion to - Slobodan Milošević.

Milošević was the Serbian and Yugoslav president in the 1990s, and the founder and life-long leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), which is now headed by Ivica Dačić.

"Had the issue of the former Yugoslavia been solved in this manner, there wouldn't have been any wars," believes Dačić.

According to him, "a compromise is necessary, because otherwise since Serbia considers all of Kosovo a part of Serbia - which no (ethnic) Albanian politician accepts - Belgrade should use military means to realize its ideas, if negotiations fail."

He also said that the ethnic Albanian side "faces a similar situation", and that such positions "would in that case lead to a new war".

"I do not wish to change the Kosovo policy. Nobody can accuse me of not defending Kosovo in all possible ways. We from the Socialist Party defended Kosovo with arms, unlike some in Belgrade who only forged theories," said the minister.

But Dačić conceded that "the EU, the U.S., Serbia and Priština" all opposed his "separation" idea.

"Since they're all against it, I'd like someone to tell me what the solution for Kosovo is... My job is not to tell the Serbian citizens fairy-tales, but to see how Serbia will live from now on," concluded Dačić.