EU, Kosovo “not two separate issues”

Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) leader Vojislav Kostunica has requested a public debate on the EU and Serbia’s membership in it. He has assessed that Serbia should cooperate with the EU, primarily in the economy. EU, Kosovo “not two separate issues” The DSS leader said that Serbia should follow an example of cooperation with the EU “the way many other European and world countries do, such as Norway and Switzerland”. He stressed that a question whether the EU had the alternative should be raised and whether Serbia would be able to develop and function normally if it only cooperated with the EU. “My answer is, yes, it is possible,” Kostunica stated. He assessed that the Serbian authorities had been “rushing” toward the EU so far, claiming that the EU had not alternative and that the Kosovo issue and the EU integration were two separate processes. “Those are not two processes, those are two connected things. Membership in the EU means factual recognition of Kosovo, normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo and good neighborly relations,” the DSS leader said and added that “after so much lost time and high price” one should reassess the state interest. He has requested a debate on the EU membership “since it is clear that a condition for the candidacy is establishment of good neighborly relations with Kosovo as an independent state”. Kostunica told Beta news agency that 22 EU member states had recognized Kosovo’s independence, which was Serbia’s first dispute with the EU, but that problems that the Union was facing, such as “economic crisis and suspension of the EU enlargement” should be taken into consideration as well. “It is slowly stratifying into first-class and second-class members and I am afraid into third-class members when it comes to the Western Balkans… We should now make a balance to see how much the current progress toward the candidacy and unilateral implementation of economic agreements has cost us and to conclude what Serbia’s interest is based on that,” he explained. Commenting on northern Kosovo, Kostunica said that the Belgrade authorities needed to give much more support to the people at the barricades because they were threatened and because they were peacefully showing they wanted to remain a part of Serbia. “I wish the Belgrade authorities showed the same the level of responsibility and care in order to keep Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia that our citizens in the southern province are showing. The authorities should help them instead of recognizing the institutions of the illegal state of Kosovo through the back door,” the DSS leader stressed. According to him, Serbia should insist on new negotiations with Pristina that would be held under the UN Security Council patronage because it would return the entire issue under the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 which respects Serbia’s territorial integrity. “The Kosovo issue is the issue of Serbia’s integrity and sovereignty and above all our identity. Serbia without Kosovo is not the same as with Kosovo. The question is how much Serbia without Kosovo is Serbia?,” Kostunica told Beta. Vojislav Kostunica

EU, Kosovo “not two separate issues”

The DSS leader said that Serbia should follow an example of cooperation with the EU “the way many other European and world countries do, such as Norway and Switzerland”.

He stressed that a question whether the EU had the alternative should be raised and whether Serbia would be able to develop and function normally if it only cooperated with the EU.

“My answer is, yes, it is possible,” Koštunica stated.

He assessed that the Serbian authorities had been “rushing” toward the EU so far, claiming that the EU had not alternative and that the Kosovo issue and the EU integration were two separate processes.

“Those are not two processes, those are two connected things. Membership in the EU means factual recognition of Kosovo, normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo and good neighborly relations,” the DSS leader said and added that “after so much lost time and high price” one should reassess the state interest.

He has requested a debate on the EU membership “since it is clear that a condition for the candidacy is establishment of good neighborly relations with Kosovo as an independent state”.

Koštunica told Beta news agency that 22 EU member states had recognized Kosovo’s independence, which was Serbia’s first dispute with the EU, but that problems that the Union was facing, such as “economic crisis and suspension of the EU enlargement” should be taken into consideration as well.

“It is slowly stratifying into first-class and second-class members and I am afraid into third-class members when it comes to the Western Balkans… We should now make a balance to see how much the current progress toward the candidacy and unilateral implementation of economic agreements has cost us and to conclude what Serbia’s interest is based on that,” he explained.

Commenting on northern Kosovo, Koštunica said that the Belgrade authorities needed to give much more support to the people at the barricades because they were threatened and because they were peacefully showing they wanted to remain a part of Serbia.

“I wish the Belgrade authorities showed the same the level of responsibility and care in order to keep Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia that our citizens in the southern province are showing. The authorities should help them instead of recognizing the institutions of the illegal state of Kosovo through the back door,” the DSS leader stressed.

According to him, Serbia should insist on new negotiations with Priština that would be held under the UN Security Council patronage because it would return the entire issue under the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 which respects Serbia’s territorial integrity.

“The Kosovo issue is the issue of Serbia’s integrity and sovereignty and above all our identity. Serbia without Kosovo is not the same as with Kosovo. The question is how much Serbia without Kosovo is Serbia?,” Koštunica told Beta.