Serbia and the EU

Due to lacking progress regarding conclusive dialogue between Belgrade and Priština, the starting date for negotiations will be pushed back while the EU commission recommended that Serbia be given candidate status for EU membership. Definite decisions, however, will be made in December. Membership, to be sure, will be l tied to the clear progress regarding Belgrade – Priština relations. Specifically, improved relations between Belgrade and Priština entail regional cooperation and would subsequently lead to greater regional stability. According to a Beta article, it is clear that a prevailing number of EU member states would prefer to see a considerable improvement between Serbia and Kosovo prior to Belgrade’s accession to the EU. Yet, not a single state has explicitly stipulated that Serbia recognize Kosovo’s independence possibly because five EU member states have not done so either. These states include Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Spain, and Slovakia. Germany and France, meanwhile, are the strongest proponents of tightening the concession date of negotiations as well as Serbia’s candidacy for EU membership should Belgrade – Priština relations not improve significantly. On the other side, the European Commission highlighted Serbian results in reforming its judiciary, systemic law and the fight against corruption.

Vice president Božidar Đelić stated that “some countries” do not wish for Serbia to receive EU membership. “The reality is that these states seek to convince other member states that Serbia meet additional conditions” as Đelić maintained in an interview with Press Online. The vice president asserted that additional conditions may be placed on Serbia as long as these do not overstep the state’s “red lines” regarding Belgrade’s policy toward Kosovo. He added, however, that France was working on Serbia’s behalf so that no extra conditions would be placed prior to Serbia’s admission to the Union. Đelić too said that Serbia, to date, had brought forward creative solutions regarding the Kosovo issue adding that the next move was to come from the EU. Đelić, for instance, expects the EU’s help regarding the achievement of solutions for customs which in turn would ease further dialogue with Priština. For now, diplomatic protocol will determine as to the allowable goods carried across the administrative points.

According to Nenad Čanak, president of the League of the Social Democrats of Vojvodina (LSV), the overall messages coming out of Brussels look positive. Other politicians, meanwhile, remain conscious. Serbia’s Renewal Movement Party (SPO) president Vuk Drašković, for instance, warned that while positive recommendations regarding EU membership are constructive, they could be reversed still. EU membership can be lost if Serbia does not establish regional membership cooperation, an important goal too for Serbia. In addition, receiving EU membership will not solve Serbia’s most pressing problems as Tomislav Nikolić, president of Serbia’s Progressive Party (SNS), asserted. According to Nikolić, these problems include a deficient economy and the low living standard of Serbian citizens. In Nikolić’s words “only a completely new government will be able to resolve these problems”.

Reacting to the EU commission’s recommendation, Serbian president Boris Tadić expressed his satisfaction adding that Serbia is ready to continue its dialogue with Priština as was conditioned by the Commission. EU candidacy would present Serbia with economic opportunities especially regarding possible investments that could potentially flow into the state. Tadić emphasized that accession would send a positive signal to Serbian citizens that their state is on the right track affirming that positive attitude is important while simultaneously cautioning from too much euphoria.

“EK preporučila kandidaturu za Srbiju”. Ekonom East Media Group. accessed October 12, 2011. www.egm.rs/vesti/srbija/166127.html

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“Đelić: Pojedine Zemlje bi da postave nove uslove Srbiji”. Ekonom East Media Group. accessed October 9, 2001. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija/165910.html

Serbia and Kosovo I Metohija

Serbia and Kosovo were to hold renewed debates on the 14th of October. Talks between Belgrade and Priština, however, were only to be held on technical issues as head of Kosovo’s delegation, deputy prime minister of Kosovo Edita Tahiri stated. Tahriri added that Serbia seeks to channel talks to include political issues particularly the administrative crossings in northern Kosovo. She recalled the U.S.’s and EU’s conception by which the nature of upcoming talks ought not to be changed contrary to Serbia’s request by which dialogue regarding the Jarinje and Brnjak crossings remain of principal importance ahead of questions regarding energy, telecommunications and regional cooperation.

State secretary at the Ministry for Kosovo Oliver Ivanović agreed with the Commission regarding the continuance of Priština – Belgrade dialogue. The problem is, according to Ivanović, that the EU does not have as great an influence in Kosovo compared to the U.S. For this reason, Serbia hopes that U.S. ambassador to Kosovo Christopher William Dell will influence Kosovo to return to hold dialogues with Serbia. Ivanović added that talks between Belgrade and Priština were always conducted “on the edge” as Kosovo diplomats seek to politicize talks so that continued dialogue will always hinge on Serbian recognition of Kosovo’s independence.

On the administrative crossing near Jarinje, Serb citizens and KFOR troops again collided over the removal of barriers erected by Serbs. KFOR troops, upon Serb citizen’s protest against the removal of the barricade, again closed the Jarinje crossing. The removal of the barricades, according to KFOR forces, was necessary so as to allow for normalized communication and supply to the Jarinje bases. Serbs, however, asserted they would remain on the barricades until Kosovar customs officials leave the administrative crossing. The barricades, however, are to be removed on Monday, October 17, 2011, said Ivanović upon information from KFOR. Ivanović added that such actions “will not lead to constructive results while it actually may raise tensions in the region”. Instead, the minister said, it is likely that upon a meeting planned between four municipalities (no specification) and KFOR an agreement will be reached regarding the movement of KFOR vehicles. The message from KFOR headquarters in Priština meanwhile remained unchanged. The barricades are to be removed under peaceful circumstances.

Former United Nations administrator to Kosovo Gerald Galucci stated that the Commission’s linking of Serbia’s membership to the situation in Kosovo meant in effect that Brussels is demanding that Serbia surrender the north of Kosovo to Priština. In an article published in the portal Transconflict, Galucci stipulated the removal of the barricades and the permanent placement of Kosovar customs officials in northern Kosovo. The five most influential players regarding Kosovo and Serbian relations, the U.S., Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy, expect from Serbia to relinquish its position in northern Kosovo. The problem, however, is that president Tadić cannot give up northern Kosovo on political bases. Tadić, for instance, lacks the necessary political support to withdraw from its position thereby making the fulfillment of EU demands impossible. In Galucci’s words, “the EU should have simply said that it currently does not wish to admit new member states”.

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Serbia

While elections are planned to be held in 2012, Serbia’s parliamentary speaker Slavica Đukić-Dejanović stated that she would not be surprised would elections be announced in December. Đukić-Dejanović added that the upcoming decision on Serbia’s accession, also due in December, might be positive thus influencing the date of the elections. It is already clear, especially during the past 30 days, that Serbia is in pre-election mode. However, deputy prime minister and minister for the interior Ivica Dačić announced that elections will be held as announced, in 2012. Yet, asked about Đukić-Dejanović’s statement, he concurred that elections may theoretically be held in December simultaneously asserting that elections “will definitely be regular”.

Similar words as mentioned above by Nikolić (SNS), were voiced by the president of the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina (LSV) Nenad Čanak as he stated that “Belgradization is a great evil”. According to Čanak, the rest of Serbia cannot get better as long as all the money keeps flowing to Belgrade while Belgrade politicians receive the highest salary in the state. Serbia cannot emerge from its current [fiscal] crisis as long as the decision making process is being centralized. Executive powers should thus be transferred to municipalities. These and other questions including “the sweeping hordes of fascists on Belgrade streets who do not seem to be answerable to the law” remain unanswered, said Čanak adding that these should be banned and brought to justice. Inaction by the government has produced a counter reaction as a growing number of Hungarian nationalists become visible in Vojvodina also.

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