PM: President is severely disappointed; reshuffle can wait

PM: President is severely disappointed; reshuffle can wait

"The situation has been difficult during the past weeks, and I think everything that has happened is a precedent of sorts," she said.

Brnabic added that she was also disappointed "by the lack of reactions from Serbia's partners" - and that she "heard no condemnation of the arrest (in Kosovo) of the head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija (Marko Djuric)," while she "expected strong condemnation."

"We had a difficult Monday, a difficult meeting of the Council for National Security," she continued, referring to March 26. "The president was thinking with a cool head then, without emotions, had he let emotions take over things would not have ended up well."

Brnabic also said that she had been an optimist, and that the president's internal dialogue initiative was "a clear message that Serbia is ready for dialogue - but the situation is becoming increasingly more difficult."

"When we on Monday had representatives of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija in Kosovo to talk about peace, they were assaulted with rifles, with long guns, we had the kidnapping of Marko Djuric, and those people went (to Kosovo) to talk about compromise," the prime minister said.

Asked whether there was some new information about that case, she said there was - and that Pristina "had absolute support from its partners." However, Brnabic would not specify who she had in mind.

"I think we all know who these partners are. I think we all know why the Brussels agreement has not been implemented, The EU must press so that the agreement is implemented, and we will not give up on that," she said.

According to the prime minister, Vucic is talking both with the EU and the US, while Serbia "will not give up on its national interests - but it is increasingly difficult to preserve peace and stability."

"It's difficult to maintain Serbia's rational approach when there is an absolute lack of respect of agreements, even those concerning the simplest things, for example, Marko Djuric sent notifications (announcing his trip to Kosovo) three times, yet he was attacked there," Brnabic added.

As for the decision of Spain, Romania, and Cyprus not to participate in the EU-Western Balkans Summit because of the participation of the so-called state of Kosovo, Brnabic said that Kosovo cannot participate as a state in any place.

Asked about her cabinet's announced reshuffle, the prime minister said she and Vucic touched on that topic as well, but that they agreed there was "more pressing business" to attend to.

"At this time national unity matters, the situation is exceptionally difficult, a reshuffle will have to wait until times are more stable," Brnabic stressed.