Defiant Tadic vows to keep north Kosovo institutions
Boris Tadic - Photo EC
(BELGRADE) - Defiant Serbian President Boris Tadic reiterated Saturday that German-set conditions for EU candidacy over Kosovo were unacceptable, but vowed to work towards EU membership nevertheless.
"If an unacceptable condition for a EU candidate status is set we must clearly tell our European friends and partners that such a demand is impossible," Tadic said in an interview to state-controlled Politika daily.
He referred to Chancellor Angela Merkel's request earlier this week that Serbia, if wants to obtain the status of a EU candidate this year, has to abolish parallel institutions in Serb-dominated northern Kosovo, such as municipal administrations, judiciary, schools and hospitals.
"Our people in the north of Kosovo will not survive if they do not have their institutions, because without them they would not have security, schools or hospitals," Tadic said.
However, this refusal to meet the demands does not mean Serbia is giving up its aspirations to join the EU, Tadic insisted.
"If our European friends cannot not accept Serbia's position today, they may accept it tomorrow or the day after tomorrow," Tadic said, vowing to continue with reforms required for EU membership.
Serbia has rejected the Kosovan ethnic Abanians' unilateral proclamation of independence in 2008, considering the breakaway territory its southern province.
However, more than 80 countries, including the United States and 22 of the 27 EU member-states, have so far recognised Kosovo's independence.
Out of some 120,000 Kosovo Serbs some 40,000 live in the north which borders Serbia. Serbs in the north refuse to accept the Pristina authorities, which has kept tensions high for years.
The latest violence flared in northern Kosovo in late July when Pristina forcibly replaced ethnic Serb border guards attached to the Kosovo police with ethnic Albanian officers at two border crossings to enforce a trade ban with Serbia. One ethnic Albanian policeman was killed in the clashes that followed.
During the visit to Serbia Merkel also insisted that Belgrade resume the European Union-mediated dialogue with Pristina and insisted Brussels needed to see results.
Talks aimed at easing day-to-day friction between the two sides are due to resume on September 2.