EU integration minister may not attend start of talks

BELGRADE It is uncertain if Branko Ruzic will be in the state delegation that will travel to Brussels on Tuesday for the first EU-Serbia intergovernmental conference. This is what the Belgrade-based daily Danas reported, quoting "several sources in the government." Ruzic, an SPS party official, is the minister without portfolio in charge of EU integration, while the intergovernmental conference will mark the start of Serbia's membership negotiations. EU integration minister may not attend start of talks Ruzic's trip was previously planned, but that is now uncertain in the wake of his clash last week with First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic. Ruzic publicly said that he "believed in the innocence" of Zekstra owner and Partizan football club president Dragan Djuric, who was arrested on January 13 as a suspect in a corruption case. Vucic reacted by saying that the statement was "scandalous," and advised the minister to leave the cabinet "if he did not like how the state was doing things." Ruzic was now unavailable for comment regarding his participation in the conference in Brussels. The newspaper also failed to receive a response from Prime Minister Ivica Dacic or anyone from the government office for cooperation with the media. SPS Vice President Diana Vukomanovic briefly said that this question "can only be answered Ruzic personally." The official opening of accession negotiations with the EU will be attended by Dacic, Vucic, and chief negotiator with the EU Tanja Miscevic. On the other side of the table will be a delegation of the European Commission headed by Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule and a number of ministers of foreign or European affairs of the member states. Miscevic yesterday said that "the core negotiating team" that would travel to Brussels will soon be known. "I did not want to rush with the establishment of such an important team and we have not fallen behind with that," she told TV Pink. Asked what kind of cooperation she had with Ruzic, she said it was "fantastic," but could not comment on the rumors about his possible dismissal, stating that she had been "too busy preparing for the intergovernmental conference." Asked whether early elections would "slow down integrations," she said: "Not necessarily, if elections were faster and had a shorter campaign." The daily also writes that due to Vucic's dissatisfaction with Ruzic - and in the event that early elections are not called this month - Miscevic would take over as minister in charge of EU integrations. Branko Ruzic (Tanjug, file) Danas

EU integration minister may not attend start of talks

Ružić's trip was previously planned, but that is now uncertain in the wake of his clash last week with First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić.

Ružić publicly said that he "believed in the innocence" of Zekstra owner and Partizan football club president Dragan Đurić, who was arrested on January 13 as a suspect in a corruption case. Vučić reacted by saying that the statement was "scandalous," and advised the minister to leave the cabinet "if he did not like how the state was doing things."

Ružić was now unavailable for comment regarding his participation in the conference in Brussels. The newspaper also failed to receive a response from Prime Minister Ivica Dačić or anyone from the government office for cooperation with the media. SPS Vice President Diana Vukomanović briefly said that this question "can only be answered Ružić personally."

The official opening of accession negotiations with the EU will be attended by Dačić, Vučić, and chief negotiator with the EU Tanja Miščević. On the other side of the table will be a delegation of the European Commission headed by Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule and a number of ministers of foreign or European affairs of the member states.

Miščević yesterday said that "the core negotiating team" that would travel to Brussels will soon be known. "I did not want to rush with the establishment of such an important team and we have not fallen behind with that," she told TV Pink.

Asked what kind of cooperation she had with Ružić, she said it was "fantastic," but could not comment on the rumors about his possible dismissal, stating that she had been "too busy preparing for the intergovernmental conference."

Asked whether early elections would "slow down integrations," she said: "Not necessarily, if elections were faster and had a shorter campaign."

The daily also writes that due to Vučić's dissatisfaction with Ružić - and in the event that early elections are not called this month - Miščević would take over as minister in charge of EU integrations.