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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia does not accept new rules, blackmail

Belgrade, 23 November 2018

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic pointed out tonight that Serbia must prepare for long-term assistance and support to our people in Kosovo-Metohija, which will not be easy.

After meeting with members of the Serbian government, summoned on the occasion of this morning's attack of members of the ROSU Army in northern Kosovo and the arrest of Serbs, Vucic said that Serbia does not accept any new rules and blackmail, and called on Pristina to withdraw illegal, barbaric and anti-civilisational taxes on Serbian products, otherwise there will be no continuation of the talks.

The Serbian President said that arrests in Kosovska Mitrovica have nothing to do with the investigation of Oliver Ivanovic's murder, but happened in order to arouse fear among the Serbian people in the province.

He stressed that yesterday he tried to warn the domestic and international public that Pristina will cause a catastrophe of great proportions.

Bearing in mind their determination to go to the end and that there is no desire of the international community for the situation to be resolved, we have to prepare for long-term assistance to our people in the province, which will be neither easy nor simple, nor cheap, said the Serbian President.

Vucic pointed out that the no trade with Kosovo represents the most significant attempt to destabilise Serbia, adding that the introduction of taxes is an anticivilisational act, a violation of the freedom of movement, goods, capital and services.

We understood they had the support of some in the West, it was clear to us after the talks with the ambassadors, because, as we understood, they are blaming Serbia for not accepting Kosovo into the Interpol, Vucic said.

We need to agree on how we will coordinate our future actions and, most importantly, how we will help our people in Kosovo, he stressed.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said that Serbia will maintain stability at all costs, except for the cost of living and freedom of Serbs in Kosovo.

We will call on reason, international law and justice and signed international agreements that must be implemented in the civilised world, said Brnabic and added that this applies to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), which is violated in the most fundamental ways as well as the CEFTA agreement.

She announced that Serbia will on 26 November submit a formal notification for the CEFTA violation to UNMIK, which is the signatory of that agreement and that we will seek the opening of formal consultations, which are required prior to the arbitration process.

At the same time, we will see how to initiate proceedings before the EU against the violation of the SAA, the Prime Minister explained.

We will maintain stability. We will not be tempted to provoke. We will continue to insist that taxes be returned to notmal, she said.

She also stressed that Serbia continues to work harder and better, because it is a big challenge, and pointed out that Belgrade should not agree to provocation, because stability is the most important for our country and citizens.

According to Brnabic, Serbia continues to develop, to be stable and to be a centre in the region of development, peace and stability.

Brnabic pointed out that Belgrade and Pristina do not think the same, because Serbia is oriented to peace, stability and the future, while Pristina’s politics is retrograde.