Belgrade-Priština dialogue “still has chance“

BELGRADE Serbia's Deputy PM Suzana Grubjesic has stated that a community of Serb municipalities in Kosovo needs to have “precise executive powers”. She said that Belgrade would be constructive in the dialogue as long as there was a chance to reach an agreement. Belgrade-Pristina dialogue “still has chance“ “We started the negotiations with an intention of reaching a sustainable agreement that can be implemented and as long as there is a chance for something like that we will be constructive and flexible. If Pristina acts the same, I believe we will reach an agreement on April 2,” Grubjesic told daily Vecernje novosti. When asked whether Serbia would be ready for new concessions regarding the request to allow the Serb community to run the judicial system, police and spatial planning, she stressed that the community of Serb municipalities needed to have precise executive powers and that it would be pointless to form such a community otherwise. “We are not asking for anything that is not in accordance with European principles of decentralization,” the deputy PM pointed out. She added that a date for the beginning of the EU accession negotiation depended solely on results of the dialogue with Pristina and that Serbian citizens deserved the date. “Serbian citizens deserve to get this date because they have been supporting Serbia’s European pathway patiently and consistently all these years, regardless of all difficulties and challenges we have been facing,” Grubjesic was quoted as saying. Commenting on a list of seven requests presented by the ruling German CDU party, she said she was not sure that anyone other than the European Commission and the European Council was authorized to set conditions for the EU talks date. “We have had serious and open talks on several occasions with CDU MPs and we have informed them in detail about each of the seven requests,” the deputy prime minister said. She noted that Serbia was aware that Bundestag’s decision could be key for its further EU pathway. “We are aware of their role in giving the green light to Serbia but we are also aware of the fact that the EU enlargement process has a minimal support among the German public. We have shown, not with words but with actions, that we keep our promises and I hope it will be enough for the CDU’s support in the continuation of Serbia’s European pathway,” Grubjesic noted. When asked if there was a risk of a permanent freezing of the EU integration process and the dialogue with Pristina, she said that it would be a “bad scenario” for Serbia. “Such scenario would not be good for us. Too much time was wasted while waiting for better time that does not seem to come. It certainly is not in Serbia’s interest to remain on the outskirts of the outskirts. Instead of freezing, it is necessary to improve relations with the most powerful EU countries and achieve strategic partnership with those who decide and not just with those that are dear to us,” Grubjesic concluded. Suzana Grubjesic (Beta, file) Tanjug Vecernje novosti

Belgrade-Priština dialogue “still has chance“

“We started the negotiations with an intention of reaching a sustainable agreement that can be implemented and as long as there is a chance for something like that we will be constructive and flexible. If Priština acts the same, I believe we will reach an agreement on April 2,” Grubješić told daily Večernje novosti.

When asked whether Serbia would be ready for new concessions regarding the request to allow the Serb community to run the judicial system, police and spatial planning, she stressed that the community of Serb municipalities needed to have precise executive powers and that it would be pointless to form such a community otherwise.

“We are not asking for anything that is not in accordance with European principles of decentralization,” the deputy PM pointed out.

She added that a date for the beginning of the EU accession negotiation depended solely on results of the dialogue with Priština and that Serbian citizens deserved the date.

“Serbian citizens deserve to get this date because they have been supporting Serbia’s European pathway patiently and consistently all these years, regardless of all difficulties and challenges we have been facing,” Grubješić was quoted as saying.

Commenting on a list of seven requests presented by the ruling German CDU party, she said she was not sure that anyone other than the European Commission and the European Council was authorized to set conditions for the EU talks date.

“We have had serious and open talks on several occasions with CDU MPs and we have informed them in detail about each of the seven requests,” the deputy prime minister said.

She noted that Serbia was aware that Bundestag’s decision could be key for its further EU pathway.

“We are aware of their role in giving the green light to Serbia but we are also aware of the fact that the EU enlargement process has a minimal support among the German public. We have shown, not with words but with actions, that we keep our promises and I hope it will be enough for the CDU’s support in the continuation of Serbia’s European pathway,” Grubješić noted.

When asked if there was a risk of a permanent freezing of the EU integration process and the dialogue with Priština, she said that it would be a “bad scenario” for Serbia.

“Such scenario would not be good for us. Too much time was wasted while waiting for better time that does not seem to come. It certainly is not in Serbia’s interest to remain on the outskirts of the outskirts. Instead of freezing, it is necessary to improve relations with the most powerful EU countries and achieve strategic partnership with those who decide and not just with those that are dear to us,” Grubješić concluded.