PM says meeting of top officials "confirms unity"

BELGRADE The meeting of Serbia's top officials late on Sunday in Belgrade "confirmed a united state approach to all issues", says PM Ivica Dacic. In a statement to Tanjug, Dacic explained that this meant "unity on the state policy on Kosovo and Metohija, further European (EU) integrations, and economic policy goals". PM says meeting of top officials "confirms unity" The leader of the Socialists (SPS) said that his separate meeting with his first deputy and leader of the Progressives (SNS) Aleksandar Vucic that followed focused on "further moves of the government, related to the most important state and national issues". "There is complete unity on all of the most important questions between the two largest parties in the ruling coalition," Dacic stated, and added: "The gravity of the situation in which the state and the people find themselves imposes the necessity of unity and political stability, to which both parties are ready to make their utmost contribution, so that the government of Serbia has the capacity to realize the goals in further reforms of society, finding a sustainable and just solution for Kosovo and Metohija, a continued European road, economic recovery and determined fight against crime and corruption." Addressing reporters again on Monday after his meeting in Belgrade with his Czech counterpart, Dacic said that the two strongest parties in the ruling coalition, the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), have a completely unified stand on the EU integration issue, Kosovo and Metohija and goals of the economic policy in the next year. The prime minister said that in the next few days, the Serbian president should inform heads of parliament groups which are not part of the ruling coalition about the prospects of resolving the Kosovo and Metohija issue and discuss this issue with Serbs from the province. Dacic noted that the platform cannot be set in a way that would lead to "a no-way-out situation". He added that "all issues discussed on Sunday are very sensitive:. "We need unity and agreement has been reached, he said and added that the two strongest parties in the ruling coalition, SPS and SNS, have a unified stand on the issues, including the fight against crime and corruption which needs to continue." Dacic told reporters that his talks with Vucic also covered the government's next steps "since it needs the power to resolve these issues". He recalled that this was a regular meeting of leaders of ruling coalition parties which he calls as the prime minister with a view to better coordination of the government and added that the current situation in Kosovo and Metohija was analysed i9n connection to the dialogue and the implementation of agreements reached with Pristina. "There is a problem regarding joint administration at the crossings," Dacic said and added that working groups in charge of clarifying all conflicting points is being held in Brussels on Monday. He said that officials agreed in Brussels that there will be no collection of customs clearance on crossings until January 10, nor would there be any problems concerning IDs and licence plates. The dialogue on the issues for which a sustainable solution should be found will continue in January, when it should be determined whether customs duties need to be paid and to whom, how the revenues would be distributed and other matters, he noted. According to Dacic, in addition to European integration and Kosovo issues, the talks also covered the economic situation in the country and they included directors of three public enterprises, the Electric Power Industry of Serbia, Telekom and Srbijagas. The meeting, held at Villa Bokeljka, started at 18:00 CET on Sunday and went on for more than four hours. It was also attended by Dacic, Vucuic, President Tomislav Nikolic, his foreign policy adviser Marko Djuric, Parliament Speaker Nebojsa Stefanovoic, ministers Rasim Ljajic, Jovan Krkobabic, Nikola Selakovic, Velimir Ilic, Verica Kalanovic, government secretary Veljko Odalovic, Kosovo Office chief Aleksandar Vulin, and chief technical negotiator in Kosovo dialogue Dejan Pavicevic. Head of the public enterprise Srbijagas and top SPS official Dusan Bajatovic also joined the meeting. After its conclusion Dacic and Vucic conferred alone for more than three hours, until around 02:30 CET on Monday. Ivica Dacic (MUP) Issue of public enterprises also tackled Serbian Minister of Finance and Economy Mladjan Dinkic said Monday that Sunday's meeting of Serbia's most senior state officials had also touched on three large state companies, namely, the Electric Power Industry of Serbia (EPS), Telekom Srbija, "and the most problematic, Srbijagas". Speaking for B92, Dinkic said that at the meeting held last night, he had asked Srbijagas General Director Dusan Bajatovic to present a business plan for the company when the state stopped providing subsidies, adding that he had got some of the expected answers. According to Dinkic, Bajatovic presented a plan that needs to be worked out in order for Srbijagas become a self-sustainable company. Dinkic said that the new EPS management presented a corporatization plan for the company, noting that corporatization was characteristic of developed electric power producers. The management of Telekom Srbija also presented their business plan, he added. Minister Dinkic stressed the importance of "depoliticization" of management in public enterprises, adding that the United Regions of Serbia, the party led by him, "was among the initiators of the process". B92 Tanjug

PM says meeting of top officials "confirms unity"

The leader of the Socialists (SPS) said that his separate meeting with his first deputy and leader of the Progressives (SNS) Aleksandar Vučić that followed focused on "further moves of the government, related to the most important state and national issues".

"There is complete unity on all of the most important questions between the two largest parties in the ruling coalition," Dačić stated, and added:

"The gravity of the situation in which the state and the people find themselves imposes the necessity of unity and political stability, to which both parties are ready to make their utmost contribution, so that the government of Serbia has the capacity to realize the goals in further reforms of society, finding a sustainable and just solution for Kosovo and Metohija, a continued European road, economic recovery and determined fight against crime and corruption."

Addressing reporters again on Monday after his meeting in Belgrade with his Czech counterpart, Dačić said that the two strongest parties in the ruling coalition, the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), have a completely unified stand on the EU integration issue, Kosovo and Metohija and goals of the economic policy in the next year.

The prime minister said that in the next few days, the Serbian president should inform heads of parliament groups which are not part of the ruling coalition about the prospects of resolving the Kosovo and Metohija issue and discuss this issue with Serbs from the province.

Dačić noted that the platform cannot be set in a way that would lead to "a no-way-out situation".

He added that "all issues discussed on Sunday are very sensitive:.

"We need unity and agreement has been reached, he said and added that the two strongest parties in the ruling coalition, SPS and SNS, have a unified stand on the issues, including the fight against crime and corruption which needs to continue."

Dačić told reporters that his talks with Vučić also covered the government's next steps "since it needs the power to resolve these issues".

He recalled that this was a regular meeting of leaders of ruling coalition parties which he calls as the prime minister with a view to better coordination of the government and added that the current situation in Kosovo and Metohija was analysed i9n connection to the dialogue and the implementation of agreements reached with Priština.

"There is a problem regarding joint administration at the crossings," Dačić said and added that working groups in charge of clarifying all conflicting points is being held in Brussels on Monday.

He said that officials agreed in Brussels that there will be no collection of customs clearance on crossings until January 10, nor would there be any problems concerning IDs and licence plates.

The dialogue on the issues for which a sustainable solution should be found will continue in January, when it should be determined whether customs duties need to be paid and to whom, how the revenues would be distributed and other matters, he noted.

According to Dačić, in addition to European integration and Kosovo issues, the talks also covered the economic situation in the country and they included directors of three public enterprises, the Electric Power Industry of Serbia, Telekom and Srbijagas.

The meeting, held at Villa Bokeljka, started at 18:00 CET on Sunday and went on for more than four hours.

It was also attended by Dačić, Vučuić, President Tomislav Nikolić, his foreign policy adviser Marko Đurić, Parliament Speaker Nebojša Stefanovoić, ministers Rasim Ljajić, Jovan Krkobabić, Nikola Selaković, Velimir Ilić, Verica Kalanović, government secretary Veljko Odalović, Kosovo Office chief Aleksandar Vulin, and chief technical negotiator in Kosovo dialogue Dejan Pavićević.

Head of the public enterprise Srbijagas and top SPS official Dušan Bajatović also joined the meeting.

After its conclusion Dačić and Vučić conferred alone for more than three hours, until around 02:30 CET on Monday.

Issue of public enterprises also tackled

Serbian Minister of Finance and Economy Mlađan Dinkić said Monday that Sunday's meeting of Serbia's most senior state officials had also touched on three large state companies, namely, the Electric Power Industry of Serbia (EPS), Telekom Srbija, "and the most problematic, Srbijagas".

Speaking for B92, Dinkić said that at the meeting held last night, he had asked Srbijagas General Director Dusan Bajatović to present a business plan for the company when the state stopped providing subsidies, adding that he had got some of the expected answers.

According to Dinkić, Bajatović presented a plan that needs to be worked out in order for Srbijagas become a self-sustainable company.

Dinkić said that the new EPS management presented a corporatization plan for the company, noting that corporatization was characteristic of developed electric power producers.

The management of Telekom Srbija also presented their business plan, he added.

Minister Dinkić stressed the importance of "depoliticization" of management in public enterprises, adding that the United Regions of Serbia, the party led by him, "was among the initiators of the process".