Serbia and the EU

Deputy prime minister Božidar Đelić announced that the Serbian government plans on restoring its dialogue with Priština as doing so is a condition for EU membership. A renewed dialogue with Priština is set as the goal for the Serbian state, according to Đelić, so as to gain EU candidacy status – the decision on Serbia’s status will be made public in the coming weeks while Serbia was meeting with British and French governmental officials regarding EU candidacy the past week.

Vojislav Koštunica launched a debate in Serbia regarding the necessity of Serbia’s EU membership as, according to the former president, Serbian membership would imply good neighborly relations with Kosovo in the form of an independent state. Koštunica stated that Kosovo, recognized by 22 EU member states, poses the first problem Serbia faces regarding its membership, yet, according to the former president, it was time that Serbia reevaluate and examine the EU’s problems namely the Unions economic crisis and the potential ending of eastward expansion thereof. Koštunica added that it was becoming clear that the EU was comprised of first and second class states while he fears that Serbia would become a third rate member of the Union. He suggested that Serbia take inventory so as to find out whether or not EU membership was desirable. Meanwhile, there are questions whether or not the current government will survive should Serbia not be given the status of EU candidacy. According to “a member of the leading coalition”, the government will not necessarily fall should Serbia not receive candidacy while Tomislav Nikolić, head of the governments strongest opposition coalition, announced that Serbia is destined to fall should she be denied candidacy. Head of Serbia’s Liberal Party (LDP) Bojan Đurić summed up his attitude by repeating Dačić who stated that “there is no extraordinary crisis in Serbia, she is simply in a crisis of formation, the same crisis she has been in for the past 20 years”.

“Da li će vlada pasti ako ne dobijemo kandidaturu”. Politika Online. accessed November 20, 2011. www.politika.rs/rubrike/Politke/Da-li-ce-vlada-pasti-ako-ne-dobijemo-kandidaturu.lt.html

“Koštunica: Da li je ulazak u EU interes Srbije”. Ekonom East Media Group. accessed November 17, 2011. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija/168900.html

“Đelić: Dijalog s Prištinom jeste uslov”. Ekonom East Media Group. accessed November 14, 2011. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija/168628.html

Serbia

Srđan Srećković stated that it would be best if the Serbian Renewal Movemement Party (SPO) would come out on the same ticket with the Democratic Party (DS) for the next election adding that the heads of the party will decide on the matter once elections get on the way. In his announcement, Srećković pointed toward the parties’ cooperation with the current government albeit differing opinions on “day to day matters”. Head of Serbia’s Socialist Party (SPS) Ivica Dačić stated his desire to continue his parties’ cooperation with the Party of United Pensioners of Serbia (PUPS) and United Serbia (JS) as it had withstood the test of time having garnered 7.6% of the vote during the last elections while Dačić believes it realistic to achieve 15% of the overall vote in the coming elections. Asked about the current situation regarding the conflict between the DS and SPO, Dačić answered that the conflict between two parties ought not to impact the effectiveness of state institutions while when cooperation is not possible, it is better to hold new elections to prevent governmental mal practice.
Serbia’s economic minister Nebojša Ćirić stated that Europe’s dropping economy poses a potential threat to the Serbian economy as a number of EU states no longer import goods from Serbia. In addition, domestic demand too has dropped. Pensions and wages are low, while the unemployment numbers surpass the 20 percent mark, hardly a situation in which domestic demand will increase.

The UN’s resident coordinator William Infante strongly criticized the Serbian government due to lack of significant results in fighting corruption. According to a report released by the UNDP, the government and police forces are among the most corrupt in the state. Infante pointed out that anti corruption undertakings were flawed from the outset given that no written specifications have been made on how corruption was going to be fought. Infante directed part of his criticism toward Mirko Cvetković who was supposed to implement a plan of action regarding the fight on corruption. He further stated that the media is often not objective as outlets are owned by parties and thus not impartial. Instead of relying on the print media, Infante suggested alternative ways, including Facebook and/or Twitter, of disseminating information to the public. Politika Online meanwhile announced that Facebook might proof more efficient in distributing candidates’ electoral campaigns. There are around 2,5 million people on Facebook while 20,000 people use Twitter in Serbia.

Serbian prime minister Mirko Cvetković stated at an energy forum held in Montenegro that Serbia is ready to participate and cooperate in projects such as the securing of energy supply to the region, technological improvement and expansion of transport and storage facilities. Initially, Cvetković refused to partake and only joined the event once Bekaja was asked to leave the hall. Thereafter, the prime minister spoke to Turkish prime minister Raccep Tayyip Erdogan recalling that Serbia was given an important mandate with the state’s involvement in building the south stream pipeline. With the development of gas infrastructure through Serbia, unemployment numbers would be reduced which in turn would strengthen the social component of the market economy while Serbia may act as a bridge between states not directly involved in the project. According to Cvetković, Serbia is in the process of identifying projects that would involve other regional states. Envisioned projects include the construction of reversible hydro connection between Republika Srpska, Serbia and Italy, the implementation of renewable energy projects and the laying of telecommunication cables – these projects would be realized parallel to constructing gas infrastructure and gas storage facilities.

“Čerić: Želim da i na naredne izbore izađemo sa PUPS i JS”. Ekonom East Media Group. accessed November 19, 2011. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija/169074.html

“Jevtinija kampanja na Fejsbuku nego u hali”. Ekonom East Media Group. accessed November 20, 2011. www.politika.rs/Stranice/141083.lt.html#

“Cvetković: Srbija otvorena za projekte energetskog snabdevanja”. Ekonom East Media Group. accessed November 17, 2011. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija/168901.html

“Infante: Najkorumpiraniji su država i policija”. Ekonom East Media Group. accessed November 15, 2011. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija/168695.html

“Ćirić: Opasnost od pada tražnje na tržištu EU”. Ekonom East Media Group. accessed November 15, 2011. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija/168708.html

“Srećković: Za SPO najbolje s DS-om”. Ekonom East Media Group. accessed November 14, 2011. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija/168593.html

Serbia and Kosovo i Metohija

As Beta and Danas reported, a number of Serbian government officials prevented the Serbian government to adopt a conclusion which would provide the Kosovar Supreme Council with the highest authority regarding disputes in the province of Kosovo. An agreement regarding cadastre and registry books was not reached in Belgrade due to disagreements among Serb ministers. As Danas reported, signing off on the cadastre agreement would mean that Serbia recognizes the Kosovar Supreme Court with which various ministers did not agree. Serbia did not, and will not in the near future, acknowledge the Kosovar Supreme Court. Regarding the situation in Northern Kosovo, state secretary for Kosovo and Metohija Oliver Ivanović stated that it was not impossible that Serbs in Northern Kosovo will proclaim independence if the West keeps on insisting further talks regarding the implementation of customs seals in favor of Kosovo.

“Ivanović: Nije isključeno da sever KiM proglasi nezavisnost”. Politika Online. accessed November 20, 2011. www.politikao.rs/rubrike/Politika/IvanovićNije-iskljuceno-da-sever-KiM-proglasi-nezavisnost.lt.html

“Srbija zamalo priznala Vrhovni sud Kosova”. Danas.rs. accessed November 13, 2011. www.rs.danas/danasrs/politika/srbija_zamalo_priznala_Vrhovni_sud_Kosova.56.html?news_id=228008

“Danas: Srbija zamalo priznala Vrhovni sud Kosova”. Ekonom East Media Group. accessed November 14, 2011. www.emg.rs/vesti/srbija.168605.html