PM vows to protect party, talks German demands

BELGRADE Serbian PM and leader of the ruling Socialists (SPS) Ivica Dacic says he "won't allow for a campaign that wants to represent all SPS members as thieves". “Certain articles in the press about alleged criminal scandals involving the SPS are aimed at criminalizing the Socialists, and fueling a quarrel with the Serb Progressive Party,” Dacic said, adding that every party has officials who abused their offices, but the SPS members who committed crimes and frauds are amateurs in comparison with others. PM vows to protect party, talks German demands “I am not going to protect anyone, but I will not allow such a campaign,” Dacic said in an interview for Belgrade-based daily Danas, and added: "I've no intention of showing tolerance any longer. The same goes for the members of the MUP (Interior Ministry and police). We cannot be receiving commands on which citizen we can deal with, and which is out of reach. I served as interior minister in the previous government, but the MUP was administered by others. That won't be happening again." As for the relations within his cabinet, the prime minister said that they were "fair", and that it was "working as a good team". The prime minister said that he had sent a request for assistance amounting to EUR 300 million to the Russian Federation, hoping that Serbia will receive it by the end of the year, and that talks were underway "with the IMF, the EU, the World Bank, Swiss and Chinese institutions" - but that primarily "we invest trust in our own strength to raise the level of production by means of investments" Commenting on the German demands delivered to the authorities in Belgrade last week by a delegation of that country's ruling party, Dacic said that "a solution is being sought to continue European integrations without recognizing Kosovo": "There shouldn't be much excitement and concern. We know what we want. Everybody is entitled to present their demands, and we are entitled to our opinion. We are looking for a solution (that would enable us) to go through European integrations, join the EU, while not having to verify Kosovo's independence. That will be our principled stance until the end. We are ready for a dialogue with Pristina in any format, in any place, to reach an agreed solution. If they think everything has already been solved, while we're supposed to sit at the same table and say, 'that's fine' - that won't happen." Dacic also asserted that Serbia's strategy in Kosovo "must be realistic". "It should be in the interest of Serbs both in the north and the south of Kosovo. The role of the government and the Office for Kosovo and Metohija must be to help people in real life, as much as possible. The German demands also concern us completely halting the financing of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, they say that these funds are greater than the assistance we are receiving from the EU. That's such wonderful concern for our budget," the prime minister said, and added: "Then again, I'd ask them why they are giving enormous economic assistance to Kosovo? Why they came from all over the world to celebrate the end of supervised independence? How come Americans have an interest in helping Albanians, while Serbs should have no interest in helping Serbs? There is talk about parallel institutions in Kosovo - what was the KLA when it was formed, what did all those (ethnic) Albanian institutions outside the Serbian system represent? But - we should not complain that the world is unfair. The greatest success is to turn an enemy into a friend. That is what I will be trying to do." Ivica Dacic (file) Danas Tanjug

PM vows to protect party, talks German demands

“I am not going to protect anyone, but I will not allow such a campaign,” Dačić said in an interview for Belgrade-based daily Danas, and added:

"I've no intention of showing tolerance any longer. The same goes for the members of the MUP (Interior Ministry and police). We cannot be receiving commands on which citizen we can deal with, and which is out of reach. I served as interior minister in the previous government, but the MUP was administered by others. That won't be happening again."

As for the relations within his cabinet, the prime minister said that they were "fair", and that it was "working as a good team".

The prime minister said that he had sent a request for assistance amounting to EUR 300 million to the Russian Federation, hoping that Serbia will receive it by the end of the year, and that talks were underway "with the IMF, the EU, the World Bank, Swiss and Chinese institutions" - but that primarily "we invest trust in our own strength to raise the level of production by means of investments" Commenting on the German demands delivered to the authorities in Belgrade last week

by a delegation of that country's ruling party, Dačić said that "a solution is being sought to continue European integrations without recognizing Kosovo":

"There shouldn't be much excitement and concern. We know what we want. Everybody is entitled to present their demands, and we are entitled to our opinion. We are looking for a solution (that would enable us) to go through European integrations, join the EU, while not having to verify Kosovo's independence. That will be our principled stance until the end. We are ready for a dialogue with Priština in any format, in any place, to reach an agreed solution. If they think everything has already been solved, while we're supposed to sit at the same table and say, 'that's fine' - that won't happen."

Dačić also asserted that Serbia's strategy in Kosovo "must be realistic".

"It should be in the interest of Serbs both in the north and the south of Kosovo. The role of the government and the Office for Kosovo and Metohija must be to help people in real life, as much as possible. The German demands also concern us completely halting the financing of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, they say that these funds are greater than the assistance we are receiving from the EU. That's such wonderful concern for our budget," the prime minister said, and added:

"Then again, I'd ask them why they are giving enormous economic assistance to Kosovo? Why they came from all over the world to celebrate the end of supervised independence? How come Americans have an interest in helping Albanians, while Serbs should have no interest in helping Serbs? There is talk about parallel institutions in Kosovo - what was the KLA when it was formed, what did all those (ethnic) Albanian institutions outside the Serbian system represent? But - we should not complain that the world is unfair. The greatest success is to turn an enemy into a friend. That is what I will be trying to do."