Deal with Priština not in sight, deputy PM says

BELGRADE Serbian Deputy PM Suzana Grubjesic says that today’s round of talks in Brussels is not crucial because a “deal between Belgrade and Pristina is not in sight”. “Some people from Brussels say this round is crucial, we say it is not because an agreement is not in sight,” she told Radio Television of Serbia (RTS). Deal with Pristina not in sight, deputy PM says The deputy prime minister said that Serbia had made many compromises and that it was now clear to everyone that the other side, that “has so far insisted exclusively on independence, which is not a reality in the field”, needed to give in now. “I am always realistic. We did what we could and if we reach a deal on the Community of Serb Municipalities with executive powers today, if we achieve that, than we will have an agreement,” Grubjesic stressed. Commenting on German parliamentary delegation’s visit to Belgrade, she said that any country could come with a list of requests but that this was not the point. “This is an important delegation, from the most important country, but our job is not to fulfill everyone’s demands and conditions and to move away from the point, and the point is to reach an agreement. This is what we are fighting for, everything else will be easily implemented,” the deputy PM said. According to her, there is still room to change the European Commission’s report that will be presented in April. Grubjesic said that this was an “easier part of the job” since the government’s efforts in the reform process has already been praised. “There is another, political report drafted by (EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy) Catherine Ashton. Those two reports are a starting point for Serbia to get a date (for the beginning of the EU accession negotiations) in June,” she concluded. Serbian PM Ivica Dacic, Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci and Ashton will continue the negotiations today in Brussels. Suzana Grubjesic (Beta) Beta

Deal with Priština not in sight, deputy PM says

The deputy prime minister said that Serbia had made many compromises and that it was now clear to everyone that the other side, that “has so far insisted exclusively on independence, which is not a reality in the field”, needed to give in now.

“I am always realistic. We did what we could and if we reach a deal on the Community of Serb Municipalities with executive powers today, if we achieve that, than we will have an agreement,” Grubješić stressed.

Commenting on German parliamentary delegation’s visit to Belgrade, she said that any country could come with a list of requests but that this was not the point.

“This is an important delegation, from the most important country, but our job is not to fulfill everyone’s demands and conditions and to move away from the point, and the point is to reach an agreement. This is what we are fighting for, everything else will be easily implemented,” the deputy PM said.

According to her, there is still room to change the European Commission’s report that will be presented in April. Grubješić said that this was an “easier part of the job” since the government’s efforts in the reform process has already been praised.

“There is another, political report drafted by (EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy) Catherine Ashton. Those two reports are a starting point for Serbia to get a date (for the beginning of the EU accession negotiations) in June,” she concluded.

Serbian PM Ivica Dačić, Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci and Ashton will continue the negotiations today in Brussels.