First Deputy PM talks corruption, Kosovo, EU

BELGRADE The government has made painful, difficult and risky moves. Serbia could no longer stand frozen conflicts and decline of the nation, Aleksandar Vucic says. The First Deputy PM held a press conference on Saturday and spoke about the combat against corruption and Kosovo. First Deputy PM talks corruption, Kosovo, EU He added that Serbia could not longer put up with the pillage of state assets. The first deputy PM stressed that the system had been “set to suit interests of few wealthy people”. He stated that that new government had started a fight against “snakes and dragons”. “We have promised we will not make pacts with those who did not think about citizens and the state,” Vucic stressed. He told the press conference that the government had started solving three major issues – Kosovo, corruption and organized crime and its own habits. “It is important that citizens see today that Serbia is slowly moving forward,” Vucic pointed out. He noted that charges had been filed against 115 persons in 24 privatization cases from August 1, 2012 until March 10, 2013. The first deputy prime minister said the combat against corruption would continue after negotiations on Kosovo and despite of perpetrators’ membership in political parties. “Anyone who tarnishes Serbia’s name will be caught, you cannot destroy its reputation,” he added. Vucic added that concrete results would soon come from the commission on murder of journalists. “I would specially like to thank Veran Matic who leads the Commission,” he said and stressed that 20 investigators worked on the cases of murdered journalists every day. “I am convinced that the work will give results,” he noted. Speaking about Kosovo, Vucic said that “we have not had a more complex political, national and state situation when it comes to Kosovo and Metohija in Serbia’s recent history”. “We want to live in peace with the world, if we can. Everything will be easier if could forget the last 20 years. Everybody in the region is better off than we are,” he underscored. Commenting on the Brussels negotiations, Vucic said that the offered document was not worth either respect or discussion. “We request from the EU to take care of Serbia and interests of our people in Kosovo and Metohija. We will not accept something our people cannot accept,” he explained. “We will make compromises but we are asking the EU, the U.S. and others to show that they do not want to humiliate Serbia. I am ready to go to Brussels on foot but a solution does not depend on our team’s composition,” the deputy PM pointed out. He noted that the top Serbian officials’ intention was to go Brussels in order to make a compromise but stressed that “compromises have their limits”. Vucic said that the Serbian senior officials in the dialogue with Pristina would make a united decision because “they represent Serbia in the negotiations and it is their obligation to protect the country and its interests”. “I have full confidence in what the prime minister (Ivica Dacic), (presidential adivor Marko) Mr Djuric and (Office for Kosovo director) Aleksandar Vulin have done,“ he said. “Serbia deserves to get a date for opening accession talks with the EU, and if the EU thinks otherwise they should say what the Serbian government has done wrong,” Vucic said. "We will not beg anyone. We think we have deserved the EU's respect and the date with our work, effort and dedication," he added. "If Brussels thinks different, they should tell our people that we failed," he stressed. “We have a clear approach: you evaluate Serbia and its government; if you say it did not do a good job, then tell us what we failed to do," said Vucic. He noted that Serbia had fulfilled the major portion of the seven conditions posed by Germany in exchange for its consent to opening accession talks. "Only one and a half or, according to them, two and a half conditions remain," which Serbia is prepared to fulfill as much as is in its power,” concluded the first deputy Aleksandar Vucic (Tanjug) RTS Tanjug

First Deputy PM talks corruption, Kosovo, EU

He added that Serbia could not longer put up with the pillage of state assets.

The first deputy PM stressed that the system had been “set to suit interests of few wealthy people”.

He stated that that new government had started a fight against “snakes and dragons”.

“We have promised we will not make pacts with those who did not think about citizens and the state,” Vučić stressed.

He told the press conference that the government had started solving three major issues – Kosovo, corruption and organized crime and its own habits.

“It is important that citizens see today that Serbia is slowly moving forward,” Vučić pointed out.

He noted that charges had been filed against 115 persons in 24 privatization cases from August 1, 2012 until March 10, 2013.

The first deputy prime minister said the combat against corruption would continue after negotiations on Kosovo and despite of perpetrators’ membership in political parties.

“Anyone who tarnishes Serbia’s name will be caught, you cannot destroy its reputation,” he added.

Vučić added that concrete results would soon come from the commission on murder of journalists.

“I would specially like to thank Veran Matić who leads the Commission,” he said and stressed that 20 investigators worked on the cases of murdered journalists every day.

“I am convinced that the work will give results,” he noted.

Speaking about Kosovo, Vučić said that “we have not had a more complex political, national and state situation when it comes to Kosovo and Metohija in Serbia’s recent history”.

“We want to live in peace with the world, if we can. Everything will be easier if could forget the last 20 years. Everybody in the region is better off than we are,” he underscored.

Commenting on the Brussels negotiations, Vučić said that the offered document was not worth either respect or discussion.

“We request from the EU to take care of Serbia and interests of our people in Kosovo and Metohija. We will not accept something our people cannot accept,” he explained.

“We will make compromises but we are asking the EU, the U.S. and others to show that they do not want to humiliate Serbia. I am ready to go to Brussels on foot but a solution does not depend on our team’s composition,” the deputy PM pointed out.

He noted that the top Serbian officials’ intention was to go Brussels in order to make a compromise but stressed that “compromises have their limits”.

Vučić said that the Serbian senior officials in the dialogue with Priština would make a united decision because “they represent Serbia in the negotiations and it is their obligation to protect the country and its interests”.

“I have full confidence in what the prime minister (Ivica Dačić), (presidential adivor Marko) Mr Đurić and (Office for Kosovo director) Aleksandar Vulin have done,“ he said.

“Serbia deserves to get a date for opening accession talks with the EU, and if the EU thinks otherwise they should say what the Serbian government has done wrong,” Vučić said.

"We will not beg anyone. We think we have deserved the EU's respect and the date with our work, effort and dedication," he added.

"If Brussels thinks different, they should tell our people that we failed," he stressed.

“We have a clear approach: you evaluate Serbia and its government; if you say it did not do a good job, then tell us what we failed to do," said Vučić.

He noted that Serbia had fulfilled the major portion of the seven conditions posed by Germany in exchange for its consent to opening accession talks.

"Only one and a half or, according to them, two and a half conditions remain," which Serbia is prepared to fulfill as much as is in its power,” concluded the first deputy