Serbia wants to join EU, but not at cost of state
Prime Minister Ivica Dacic has said that Serbia wants to join the EU, but not at the cost of losing its own state and basic dignity in the process, noting that "no one in Europe or the world would agree to this."
(KosovoCompromiseStuff) Wednesday, October 17, 2012
"Serbia cannot cross the line of state and national survival to enter the EU," Dacic told Vecernje Novosti, according to the daily's online edition.
Dacic reiterated that Serbia would not give up on European integration, but that it could not condone the phrases from Brussels which encroached on its territorial integrity.
"Serbia cannot and will not accept the position of respecting Kosovo's territorial integrity," stressed the prime minister.
"Even though we understand Commissioner Stefan Fuele's explanation that the meaning of the phrase is that Europe does not want a partition of the southern Serbian province, my message to Brussels is not to make us choose between Kosovo and the
EU, because we cannot renounce ourselves and our country. But we also do not want to renounce the EU, which is our goal," explained Dacic.
"Serbia is faced with considerable political challenges, such as the Kosovo issue, but that the government is prepared to take on the challenges ahead and move toward their peaceful resolution. We are aware of the significance that opening accession talks with the EU has for Serbia's society and economy," said Dacic.
According to the prime minister, Serbia will continue the process of harmonizing its legislation with the European, and the EU remains Serbia's most important trade partner.
Dacic reiterated that Serbia would not give up on European integration, but that it could not condone the phrases from Brussels which encroached on its territorial integrity.
"Serbia cannot and will not accept the position of respecting Kosovo's territorial integrity," stressed the prime minister.
"Even though we understand Commissioner Stefan Fuele's explanation that the meaning of the phrase is that Europe does not want a partition of the southern Serbian province, my message to Brussels is not to make us choose between Kosovo and the
EU, because we cannot renounce ourselves and our country. But we also do not want to renounce the EU, which is our goal," explained Dacic.
"Serbia is faced with considerable political challenges, such as the Kosovo issue, but that the government is prepared to take on the challenges ahead and move toward their peaceful resolution. We are aware of the significance that opening accession talks with the EU has for Serbia's society and economy," said Dacic.
According to the prime minister, Serbia will continue the process of harmonizing its legislation with the European, and the EU remains Serbia's most important trade partner.
