Some German conditions "disengaged from reality"

Another condition - all in order to be given a date for the start of EU accession talks - is to "resolve the remaining unresolved issues", the Serbian deputy PM said on Friday in Belgrade.

The issues in question concern "telecommunications and energy", as well as "the problems in northern Kosovo".

Commenting on the seven conditions that a German parliamentarian delegation announced during their visit to Belgrade on Thursday - including the shutting down of "the parallel structures" of Serbia in northern, majority-Serb part of Kosovo, Ljajic described "some of them" as "disengaged from reality".

"This is the position of one (German) parliament member, that should not be minimized in any way, however, we know the conditions for the negotiations date. Let's not waste our time on who said what, every day there is some parliamentarian standing before the European Council.
According to the deputy PM, it will be "very complicated" to fulfill the conditions related to the implementation of agreements and the contentious issues concerning telecommunications and energy - and according to him, this effort will require "concessions on the part of Serbia":

"They were asking for a separate international code of 383 in telecommunications, now they are asking for 355, like Albania, while we have been offering a compromise: they would get the international code of 3815, which leans on Serbia as well, and shows autonomy with the number 5. There's also the problem of Telekom's property."

Ljajić added that "the international community" was also asking for important energy systems of Valač and Gazivode, both property of Serbia, to be made a part of the Kosovo energy system.

"These are big political questions that will not be resolved easily," Ljajic noted, and stressed that when it comes to Serbia's full-fledged membership in the EU - "nobody can say at this point whether the international community will ask us to recognize Kosovo".