"Rights of Serbs in Croatia - obligation of EU"

BELGRADE Milorad Pupovac says that on its way to the EU Croatia has not met all expectations about the rights of the Serb community. The president of the Serb National Council in Croatia added that this remains among its obligations towards the EU, and now following the country's EU accession, it is also the obligation of the EU. "Rights of Serbs in Croatia - obligation of EU" Pupovac stated that it is very good that Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic took part in the ceremony in Zagreb on the occasion of Croatia's EU accession, and that it is good that he will meet with Croatian President Ivo Josipovic in foreseeable future. “This is of great importance for the two countries' relations and the European future of the entire region, primarily for eradication of the remnants of the past,” Pupovac said in an interview for the Belgrade-based daily Vecernje Novosti. Pupovac underlined that the priority topics that Serbia and Croatia should resolve are the issues of missing persons, Serbs and Croats, return of refugees and their rights, borders, war crime proceedings and genocide lawsuits. This is the continuation of the regional cooperation and also the continuation of the EU enlargement process to the rest of the Western Balkans and Southeast Europe. “Croatia and Serbia are expected to contribute to the stabilization of the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. For all this, the Croatian and the Serbian policy are facing a serious historical task,” he said. Pupovac said that the strengthening of the anti-Serb campaign and anti-Serb positions shows that there are forces, which after Croatia's EU accession, say - we can do it our way. “This is a serious problem, which for the moment is only ours, but it could soon turn into a European problem,” Pupovac believes. Pupovac said that Croatia is a specific country in terms of the Serb issue. “Giving up on the policy of tolerance towards minorities, renewal of animosity, war rhetoric, and requests for annulment of the rights that have been acquired are seriously hindering the processes in the region,” he said. "At the moment when Serbia should implement the Brussels agreement with Pristina, and Serbs in Kosovo must implement a new reality for their lives, certain groups in Croatia say - we have entered the EU and we can do as we did in the past," Pupovac said. According to him, this is "undermining the trust and credibility" of those who helped "normalize the situation in Croatia" - and said those were the EU, the U.S., and "other countries in the world." Tanjug Vecernje novosti

"Rights of Serbs in Croatia - obligation of EU"

Pupovac stated that it is very good that Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić took part in the ceremony in Zagreb on the occasion of Croatia's EU accession, and that it is good that he will meet with Croatian President Ivo Josipović in foreseeable future.

“This is of great importance for the two countries' relations and the European future of the entire region, primarily for eradication of the remnants of the past,” Pupovac said in an interview for the Belgrade-based daily Večernje Novosti.

Pupovac underlined that the priority topics that Serbia and Croatia should resolve are the issues of missing persons, Serbs and Croats, return of refugees and their rights, borders, war crime proceedings and genocide lawsuits.

This is the continuation of the regional cooperation and also the continuation of the EU enlargement process to the rest of the Western Balkans and Southeast Europe.

“Croatia and Serbia are expected to contribute to the stabilization of the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. For all this, the Croatian and the Serbian policy are facing a serious historical task,” he said.

Pupovac said that the strengthening of the anti-Serb campaign and anti-Serb positions shows that there are forces, which after Croatia's EU accession, say - we can do it our way.

“This is a serious problem, which for the moment is only ours, but it could soon turn into a European problem,” Pupovac believes.

Pupovac said that Croatia is a specific country in terms of the Serb issue.

“Giving up on the policy of tolerance towards minorities, renewal of animosity, war rhetoric, and requests for annulment of the rights that have been acquired are seriously hindering the processes in the region,” he said.

"At the moment when Serbia should implement the Brussels agreement with Priština, and Serbs in Kosovo must implement a new reality for their lives, certain groups in Croatia say - we have entered the EU and we can do as we did in the past," Pupovac said.

According to him, this is "undermining the trust and credibility" of those who helped "normalize the situation in Croatia" - and said those were the EU, the U.S., and "other countries in the world."