Nikolic: Solution to Kosovo issue can be found

Nikolic announced that the proposition of the government strategy for Kosovo would perhaps be presented to the representatives of opposition parties in the course of the next week, after which it would soon be discussed in the parliament.

In a programme broadcast by Radio and Television of Serbia late on Wednesday, Nikolic stated that there is still some resistance in the international community concerning some solutions that would be put forth by Belgrade but this is not something that Serbia will not be able to overcome.

According to him, there can be no agreement until all details have been agreed on, which means that Serbia will not be solving problems in the way that yields solutions to the everyday problems in an independent Kosovo.

"We have prepared a thorough solution as the starting point and it is useless to discuss energy and telecommunications if you have no idea as to whether you are solving issues in an independent Kosovo or in the territory the status of which is still uncertain," Nikolic said.

According to him, northern Kosovo has to retain the status it currently has and this issue will certainly be resolved in the long run, but it is impossible that it will fall under the jurisdiction of the Pristina administration.

Nikolic said that Serbia will continue to fund northern Kosovo in a transparent way, but the issue cannot end with financial autonomy.

Serbia's chances in the process of resolving the Kosovo issue are better in the sense that the world sees representatives of the Serbian government in a different light than several months ago, and regards them as serious individuals who will voice their stand clearly.

Reflecting on the meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and High EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton on Tuesday, Nikolic underscored that Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and himself voiced the same stands and that they came across a friendly tone on the part of their interlocutors who expressed the wish to help Serbia without any threats.

"We are close to coming up with a solution to all issues, I have no fears but I know that it will be difficult to explain to some people why we are trying to come up with an agreement," Nikolic said and added that it was easiest for him to distance himself from Kosovo-Metohija and say at the end of his mandate that Serbia has not recognized Kosovo's independence.

Reflecting on the relations between Serbia and the EU, Nikolic said that Serbia will meet all the imposed conditions and expressed the hope that the country would fulfill all the conditions for obtaining the date of initiation of accession talks by the end of the year.

"Perhaps by the end of the year we will be able to stand before the EU with a message that the country has been regulated adequately and if they have any new conditions to set which Serbia did not know about, then it means that the EU does not want the country for its member," Nikolic said.


Nikolic expects date of talks by end of year
 

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said that Serbia will meet all the conditions imposed by the EU and expressed the expectation that the date of accession talks would be granted by the end of the year.

In an interview for Radio and Television of Serbia late on Wednesday, Nikolic pointed out that he wants the country to be regulated according to the EU norms, adding that the number of principles included in the European agenda which Serbia implemented and those it failed to carry out should be taken into consideration.

"These include the issue of judges, privatization, fight against corruption and (First Deputy Prime Minister for Fight against Corruption) Aleksandar Vucic can do this best," Nikolic said and added that Serbia has fallen into a snake lair, where officials are running people's lives and eavesdropping on the president and Vucic. This is no way to live in Serbia, he said.

Nikolic recalled that the fight against corruption was one of the conditions imposed by the EU, and noted that perception of corruption in Serbia was drastically high and is now dropping slightly, and everyone is aware that they can be subject to legal inspection.

He noted that he will not renounce the fight against corruption and added that everyone should know this.

"We want to persecute criminals and I do not care about their ties with politicians, because this is not the subject of investigation," Nikolic said.

He added that he wants the country to be regulated in keeping with EU norms.

"I want such a Serbia and then it is up to the EU to decide whether we will join it," Nikolic said and added that even if the country does not access the EU, Serbia will be a completely regulated country with which the EU would be able to cooperate.

"I dream about initiation of the talks with the EU because this is a sign that Serbia is a well-regulated country. And if they want to set recognition of Kosovo as a condition, then this should wait until the accession and not the negotiations," the president said.