Deputy PM: False hopes, fatalism should be avoided

BRUSSELS -- Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić says that “false hopes should be avoided“ as well as unnecessary fatalism when it comes to Serbia's EU membership.

Deputy PM: False hopes, fatalism should be avoided

BRUSSELS -- Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić says that “false hopes should be avoided“ as well as unnecessary fatalism when it comes to Serbia's EU membership.

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He said that Serbia's only problem in European integration was the tense situation in northern Kosovo.

“The barricades pose a danger to both the citizens and members of the EULEX and KFOR, the missions that Serbia is supporting,” Đelić stressed.

He added that new decrees by the Serbian government on forming an office to negotiate cadastre issues would help Serbia implement the agreements reached in the dialog with Priština so far and increase its chances for obtaining the candidacy status.

“Serbian President Boris Tadić's appeal to Serbs in northern Kosovo to remove the barricades received a very positive response from Brussels,” he stated.

He announced that the Serbian government would on Wednesday open an office for the negotiations with Priština that will enable necessary coordination in the talks and the implementation of the agreements that have been reached.

The deputy prime minister told reporters in Brussels that the government would on Wednesday adopt regulations regarding the implementation of the previous agreements on the cadastre and personal documents which had been reached with Priština.

Commenting on the today’s round of the Belgrade-Priština talks, Đelić said that Serbia’s proposals for “the integrated control” of the administrative crossings in northern Kosovo, which “are over a month old”, should be adopted.

“This is a joint interest of not only Belgrade and the international community, but Priština as well,” he stressed.

Đelić added that Serbia had made “creative proposals” for Kosovo’s participation at the regional meetings, which is also on the agenda of the today’s round, and expressed belief that the proposals would be accepted.