Belgrade insistings on executive powers for Serbs

Dacic told reporters at the Serbian government building that Belgrade is not involved in a political dialogue with Pristina in order to get the accession talks date from the EU, but because a just solution needs to be found for Kosovo. "How come various regions across Europe and the world can have executive competencies and this only represents a problem in Kosovo? This is completely unacceptable for Serbia. We are prepared to make a deal, but if someone thinks we will act against our state and national interest just to get the date, they are wrong," said Dacic. Those opposing executive authority for the association of Serb municipalities in Kosovo, whose establishment Belgrade proposed based on the Serbian parliament's Resolution and the Serbian president's Platform, are trying to kill the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, he said. Dacic said arrangements are being made for Serbia's top officials to visit Brussels next week, where they will discuss all issues related to the country's European integration process and its state and national interests in Kosovo. "It is very important for our state leaders to present their views to European officials so that they would not count on us accepting something at the last minute and think that is the time to put pressure on us," said Dacic, adding that the date and agenda of the Brussels visit are still being worked out. The agreement on the formation of the association of Serb municipalities must be just, because otherwise it will not be enforceable or durable, he said. Talking about the results to date of the EU-mediated talks between him and the Kosovo prime minister, Dacic said no agreement was reached in the first meeting when the issue of institutions in northern Kosovo was introduced, but in the next one, they agreed to form an association of Serb municipalities, which would have an assembly, a president and vice president. Where they disagreed was the method of electing representatives to the assembly and the competencies the association would have. Dacic said Pristina wants every municipality to send delegates to the assembly, while Belgrade is insisting on direct elections. Still, a bigger issue are the competencies of the association, since Pristina will not consent to granting it any executive powers, he said. "Over the past 14 years, Kosovo has gained significant attributes of subjectivity, but this does not mean Serbia should recognize this type of illegality. In a situation where we do not recognize Kosovo as an independent state and in light of our Platform, we cannot agree to the association of Serb municipalities drawing its authority from Kosovo laws," explained Dacic.