FM Dacic: No talks on Franco-German plan before CSM is formed

Dacic, who heads the his party’s eponymous Ivica Dacic – Prime Minister ticket in the upcoming parliamentary election, said Serbia will never recognize Kosovo’s independence and expressed his hope that the Franco-German plan for Kosovo will not be included in Chapter 35 of Serbia's accession negotiations with the European Union (EU), Beta reported.

He said the SPS is a patriotic party and when asked whether he considered signing the Brussels and Washington agreements or the acceptance of the Franco-German plan and Ohrid roadmap patriotic, Dacic responded that official Belgrade’s fundamental goal is to prevent the recognition of Kosovo’s independence and Kosovo’s membership in the United Nations.

In 15 years since unilaterally declaring independence, Kosovo has not managed to get it verified, he added.

“Of the 110 countries that initially recognized Kosovo,

the number] is now 84 out of the 194 members

comprising] the UN. The Brussels Agreement was signed to enable a dialogue, not to undermine state and national interests. The formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities was supposed to transform Serbia’s institutions in Kosovo into Serb institutions in Kosovo, with the caveat that Kosovo security forces were precluded from entering the territory inhabited by Serbs. In addition, all Kosovo institutions under the protectorate of the UN were supposed to be composed of Serbs,” he said.

Dacic stressed that the Brussels Agreement did not violate Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Asked if Article 14 of the Brussels Agreement envisages that neither side will block the other side's progress in their respective EU path, Dacic said this has “nothing to do” with Kosovo’s membership in the UN.

“We have put up with pressure to recognize Kosovo for ten years. Unfortunately, the international community demonstrated that it does not have credibility to force Pristina to meet its obligations under the agreement. The Serb community is not in a difficult position because of the Brussels Agreement, but because of (Kosovo Prime Minister Albin) Kurti’s failure to honor the agreement. Pristina's position is to refuse to implement whatever does not suit their concept of independence,” said Dacic.

Asked whether the doors to Serbia’s membership in the EU will be closed if the Franco-German plan is included in the negotiating Chapter 35, Dacic said that all impositions that run counter to the agreement are unacceptable to Serbia.