Deputy PM won't say if Serbia will accept conditions

BELGRADE, BRUSSELS The Serbian government did not make any decisions on the conditions set before the country by Germany's ruling CDU party, says Deputy PM Aleksandar Vucic. The German party on Thursday in Belgrade made public its conditions - seven in all - that they said should be fulfilled in order for Serbia to be allowed to join the European Union (EU). Deputy PM won't say if Serbia will accept conditions Speaking on Friday, Vucic said that the government made no stance on this "because it is the position of one political party, rather than of Germany, or the EU". However, Vucic noted that "only the last of the conditions" was not previously known to the authorities in Belgrade. It states that Serbia should establish "good neighborly relations" with Kosovo. As for the remaining seven conditions, he said the government was aware of them, but would not say whether Serbia was ready to fulfill the last. Instead, he commented by saying that the Serbian government found the opinion of EU's representative here, Vincent Degert, on those conditions "more important". Degert stated on Friday that new members are admitted to the EU through decisions taken by the organization's heads of state or government. Vucic, however, added that the influence of Angela Merkel's party was "very important and huge", and should not be ignored. Meanwhile at the seat of the EU in Brussels, Beta news agency learned from its European Commission (EC) sources that the demands announced by the CDU were indeed "an indication of what Germany wants from Serbia", but that "there have been no changes in the conditions set for Serbia to start its membership talks with the EU". Serbia has the status of EU candidate - but in order to be given a date for the start of memberships negotiations, it must achieve "visible and steady improvement in relations with Pristina". The news agency is also quoting its sources as saying that while the CDU is the most powerful German party, "its position is only that of one political party". In an interview published by the Belgrade-based daily Danas earlier on Friday, Aleksandar Vucic said that the demands set before Serbia by Germany "were not easy", noting at the same time that they had already been made public by Germany. Nevertheless, Vucic would not reveal whether Serbia was ready to agree to any of the conditions. (Tanjug, file) B92 Beta

Deputy PM won't say if Serbia will accept conditions

Speaking on Friday, Vučić said that the government made no stance on this "because it is the position of one political party, rather than of Germany, or the EU".

However, Vučić noted that "only the last of the conditions" was not previously known to the authorities in Belgrade. It states that Serbia should establish "good neighborly relations" with Kosovo.

As for the remaining seven conditions, he said the government was aware of them, but would not say whether Serbia was ready to fulfill the last.

Instead, he commented by saying that the Serbian government found the opinion of EU's representative here, Vincent Degert, on those conditions "more important".

Degert stated on Friday that new members are admitted to the EU through decisions taken by the organization's heads of state or government.

Vučić, however, added that the influence of Angela Merkel's party was "very important and huge", and should not be ignored.

Meanwhile at the seat of the EU in Brussels, Beta news agency learned from its European Commission (EC) sources that the demands announced by the CDU were indeed "an indication of what Germany wants from Serbia", but that "there have been no changes in the conditions set for Serbia to start its membership talks with the EU".

Serbia has the status of EU candidate - but in order to be given a date for the start of memberships negotiations, it must achieve "visible and steady improvement in relations with Priština". The news agency is also quoting its sources as saying that while the CDU is the most powerful German party, "its position is only that of one political party".

In an interview published by the Belgrade-based daily Danas earlier on Friday, Aleksandar Vučić said that the demands set before Serbia by Germany "were not easy", noting at the same time that they had already been made public by Germany. Nevertheless, Vučić would not reveal whether Serbia was ready to agree to any of the conditions.