"Green light" for EU talks would leave Serbia "cheated"

BELGRADE PM Ivica Dacic said on Sunday that Serbia was going to feel "cheated" if the EU Council decided not to grant it a date to start EU membership talks. Dacic told reporters at the Palace of Serbia that the deal had been "to reach the Brussels agreement with Kosovo, adopt an implementation plan and launch it, which was supposed to lead to a positive decision on a date for Serbia." "Green light" for EU talks would leave Serbia "cheated" "That is not acceptable for us and that can jeopardize the implementation of the Brussels agreement," Dacic said, commenting on a statement made by EU's representative in Serbia, who said that the country would later this month get "the green light", but not an actual date for the start of the membership negotiations. "If things go differently, Serbia will not easily accept this. If after everything now, we do not deserve this kind of a decision, I do not know when we will get one," Dacic stated. "This green light - we're not traffic cops. We're interested in a positive decision of the EU council, and if we do not get that, I think we will be cheated," the prime minister was quoted as saying. "If things go differently, Serbia will not easily accept this. If after everything now, we do not deserve this kind of a decision, I do not know when we will get one," he said. Dacic declared that Serbia had done its share and that he now expected the other side - the EU, to do its part. He further said that he would not comment on the positions of some members of the EU. Meanwhile, his deputy in charge of EU integration, Suzana Grubjesic will be traveling to Germany because "the key answer" is awaited from that country's parliament. She told reporters ahead of the trip that Serbia "can only promise what it can fulfil": "I wish to also hear as clear clear position as possible from them on what will give them the possibility to vote for Serbia to start the negotiations, what they are msising, if anything, and I will present what we have done, what we are working on, what we will do until that last day when they are deciding, and I will ask if that is enough," Grubjesic was quoted as saying. Serbia and its citizens expect recognition to come from the EU in the form of a clearly and precisely specified date for the start of Serbia's EU accession talks, as they have patiently supported the EU integration process for 12 years, she also stated. In the event that Serbia does not get an exact date for the opening of the accession negotiations in late June, it will not be a failure of Serbia's but rather an excuse by the EU, said Grubjesic. "It is not good even for the EU to decide to postpone the talks for the end of this year or for next year,” she said, stressing that such a decision would not contribute to regional stabilization. “We do not need excuses about why something cannot be done: because one country, Germany, enters the (election) campaign or because the (EU) enlargement issue it unpopular. For us, these are not reasons, but excuses,” said Grubjesic. (Beta, file) Beta Tanjug

"Green light" for EU talks would leave Serbia "cheated"

"That is not acceptable for us and that can jeopardize the implementation of the Brussels agreement," Dačić said, commenting on a statement made by EU's representative in Serbia, who said that the country would later this month get "the green light", but not an actual date for the start of the membership negotiations.

"If things go differently, Serbia will not easily accept this. If after everything now, we do not deserve this kind of a decision, I do not know when we will get one," Dačić stated.

"This green light - we're not traffic cops. We're interested in a positive decision of the EU council, and if we do not get that, I think we will be cheated," the prime minister was quoted as saying.

"If things go differently, Serbia will not easily accept this. If after everything now, we do not deserve this kind of a decision, I do not know when we will get one," he said.

Dačić declared that Serbia had done its share and that he now expected the other side - the EU, to do its part. He further said that he would not comment on the positions of some members of the EU.

Meanwhile, his deputy in charge of EU integration, Suzana Grubješić will be traveling to Germany because "the key answer" is awaited from that country's parliament.

She told reporters ahead of the trip that Serbia "can only promise what it can fulfil":

"I wish to also hear as clear clear position as possible from them on what will give them the possibility to vote for Serbia to start the negotiations, what they are msising, if anything, and I will present what we have done, what we are working on, what we will do until that last day when they are deciding, and I will ask if that is enough," Grubješić was quoted as saying.

Serbia and its citizens expect recognition to come from the EU in the form of a clearly and precisely specified date for the start of Serbia's EU accession talks, as they have patiently supported the EU integration process for 12 years, she also stated.

In the event that Serbia does not get an exact date for the opening of the accession negotiations in late June, it will not be a failure of Serbia's but rather an excuse by the EU, said Grubješić.

"It is not good even for the EU to decide to postpone the talks for the end of this year or for next year,” she said, stressing that such a decision would not contribute to regional stabilization.

“We do not need excuses about why something cannot be done: because one country, Germany, enters the (election) campaign or because the (EU) enlargement issue it unpopular. For us, these are not reasons, but excuses,” said Grubješić.