"Brussels agreement to be respected to last letter"

Source: Tanjug

BELGRADE -- Serbia will do "exactly what has been proscribed by the implementation plan" by June 28, i.e., EU's decision on a date for the start of membership talks.

(Tanjug, file)

It is ready to adhere to its part of the agreement to the last letter, but it expects the same from the Priština side, said Marko Đurić, advisor of the Serbian president.
Đurić, one of the heads of the Belgrade team for the implementation of the Brussels agreement, explained in an interview for Tanjug that the meetings between working groups in Brussels are currently discussing the details of further development of the implementation process, adding that he is certain that if Priština does not interpret the agreement unilaterally, the solution can be reached.

"We expect clear moves from the Priština side since only that can lead to a favorable result in the field and political stability and guarantee survival to the Serb community and a general progress for both sides," he said.

Asked about the first thing to be fulfilled in terms of the implementation plan, Đurić said that the bill on amnesty in Kosovo-Metohija is a necessary condition.

“Priština is on the move, it has to adopt the bill on amnesty and to create conditions for the integration of justice, police and all other structures to be carried out in a legally proper manner in the interest of our side and all others who are involved in the process,” Đurić said.

Đurić could not specify the areas in which Serbia will have to change its laws, but added that the Belgrade team has offered its suggestions in this respect preliminary in the talks between the working groups.

Speaking about the working process in the implementation groups, Đurić said that it often happens that Priština appears with stands that make the entire process regress.

The Belgrade team does not have adequate interlocutors, unrealistic requests are being set contrary to the agreement and a message is being sent that the crucial role belongs to the mediator that is the EU, he added.

"It appears that Priština is in no hurry in terms of certain topics, which are as a rule politically sensitive areas as they imply considerable concessions and establishment of Serb institutions and bodies with clear empowerments," he said.

“They do not send adequate representatives with jurisdictions to bring political decisions and in such cases the things come to a bit of a halt. Sometimes, it appears that these halts have a certain kind of political instructions in the background, however it is in our interest to adhere to the agreement so the responsibility for everything else can be laid on the other side,” Đurić said.