Monday, June 22, 2020

Vucic: We are dealing with painful issues, compromise is not easy for Serbia

SManalysis
Izvor: Tanjug/Dragan Kujundžić
Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic, met this afternoon with the EU Special Representative for the Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Miroslav Lajcák.

SOURCE: TANJUG MONDAY, JUNE 22, 2020 | 20:09


For a start, Vucic thanked Miroslav Lajčák for his visit.

"Lajcak can guarantee objectivity and impartiality in the process. Topics are painful for us, but compromise solutions can never be easy for Serbia," Vucic said.

He adds that the dialogue is expected to continue in July.

He further stated that the meeting with Putin is scheduled for tomorrow, but he hopes that there will be time for a meeting with representatives from Brussels until the meeting in Washington.

"Certainly, we will not have easy days, there will be no easy issues for Serbia, but I hope that we will manage to protect our vital and national interests," the president explained

According to Lajcak, he said that the dialogue does not make sense if only one side participates.

"We are open for talks, but that is the thing we ask from the other side, and not to hand us a list of requests that are impossible to fulfill before each conversation," Vucic said, adding that the most important thing is to talk about fulfilling the Brussels agreement.

"Once again, I want to thank the EU for its solidarity during the coronavirus epidemic and to thank Lajcak, he is always welcome to Serbia," he added.

"Serbia's path to the EU is closely linked to this dialogue," Lajcak said.

He said that the meeting was good, and that specific methodologies and dates were discussed.

He stated that they are proposing a comprehensive agreement that will resolve all unresolved issues.

“I’m here to help the sides to reach an agreement, not to push anyone into any deal,” Lajcak said.

"That includes economic and regional issues," Lajcak explained.

"When the dialogue comes to an end, there should remain no open issues", he added.

Vucic says that he likes when the cards are openly put on the table, and that this was one of the more concrete conversations.

Vucic and Lajcák first talked "tete-a-tete", and then a meeting involving other participants followed.

This was followed by statements to the media.

Lajcak arrived in Belgrade at around 5 pm and headed straight from the airport to the Villa "Mir" for a conversation with the President of Serbia.


About the elections
When asked how he comments on the statements that the elections are illegitimate due to the turnout of about 50 percent, Vucic answered:

"I would be tired of telling untruths to the public. Even in 2012, in the clash between Nikolic and Tadic, the turnout was lower."

He says that he would like to see to what extent other parties were represented in the media, as well as with what ratings they entered and left the election race.

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