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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Not holding meeting in Paris a missed opportunity

Belgrade/Paris, 20 June 2019

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated today, following a statement by the Serbian President that there is practically no chance to hold a meeting in Paris scheduled for 1 July, that this is a great missed opportunity and that she does not understand Pristina's policy and what the alternative to dialogue is.

Brnabic said in a press statement in Paris that this is a huge missed opportunity and that we are wasting time because some people are unreasonable and do not realise how important every day is to the region.

I am extremely disappointed and I do not know what the alternative to dialogue is, what other ways to solve the problems we have, the Prime Minister added.

She said that it is necessary to be more brave and that everyone speaks about the Prespa Agreement and make parallels, but also pointed out that there must be two sides ready for compromise in order to reach an agreement or compromise, which is not the case here.

In the Prespa Agreement, no matter how less difficult it is than the problems of Belgrade and Pristina, there were two sides fully ready for a compromise - both lost something, but both gained a lot, Brnabic said.

The Prime Minister said she does not understand the policy of political leaders in Pristina, adding that Serbia will have a slowdown due to the lack of an agreement and compromise on a long-term normalisation of relations with Pristina, but that Pristina has no alternatives without that agreement.

They have no perspective, Brnabic said, and this behaviour sends a message not only to the EU, but to other partners, the US, who have repeatedly called on Pristina to abolish taxes and reacted with some concrete measures.

I cannot be happy because they say - there is no agreement, no matter what Berlin, Paris, Washington say, because it is not good for anyone in the region, neither for Serbs, nor for Albanians in Kosovo-Metohija. I do not understand this policy, I do not know what's next and I ask all our partners to help so that these talks take place, that Pristina understands what it is doing to the Albanians in Kosovo, and then to the Serbs in Kosovo, to all of us, to the region and Europe, Brnabic said.

She warned that this makes no sense because the isolation of Pristina does not mean only that, but it also poses danger to the region and Europe.

The Prime Minister reiterated that a compromise must be reached, and that Serbia cannot lose everything and Pristina get everything.

I do not know how anyone in Pristina thinks that the talks can be conducted with the “take it or leave it” approach. This is not possible, Brnabic underlined.

She recalled that both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron said in Berlin that the European policy cannot be conducted in such a way.

The policy of compromise is the policy of the 21st century and international relations, it represents the maturity of the leaders. If you are not brave enough let others provide a better future, Brnabic said and reiterated that Serbia must have a different partner at the other side of the table.