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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

End of cooperation with Hague changes Serbia’s position

Krusevac, 27 July 2006

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said today that the end of cooperation with the Hague tribunal would allow Serbia a different position of in negotiations on the forthcoming status on Kosovo-Metohija.

In a press conference today held after the Serbian government’s session in Krusevac, Kostunica said that along with continued talks with the EU, that cooperation would be very important in complex negotiations on the future status of Kosovo-Metohija, the part of Serbia that has always and will always be Serbia.

He recalled that cooperation with The Hague so far resulted in voluntary surrender of 16 indictees and added that as a result of that most of the public changed its opinion on cooperation with The Hague.

The Serbian Prime Minister said that the Serbian negotiating team for Kosovo-Metohija status talks will hold a meeting on Friday, July 28 to agree on its future activities.

He said that the team will focus on a strategy for solving concrete vital issues of Serbs living in Kosovo-Metohija and reiterated that in negotiations so far, Serbia has shown superiority versus the Albanian negotiating team when it comes to position, documentation and arguments presented.

Vojislav Kostunica at today's press conference

Kostunica said that not one valid argument of the opposite side in favour of Kosovo-Metohija’s independence could be heard whereas on the other hand, the Serbian team presented many firm arguments proving that the province must not be independent and why the essential autonomy is the best solution for Serbia, Kosovo, and Europe as well as for international relations.

We clearly pointed out that our solution is in line with international law and democratic values and also that an independent Kosovo would be a dangerous solution, Kostunica highlighted.

Kostunica noted that a lot of time has now been lost in talks on concrete issues in Kosovo-Metohija, which was also contributed by insufficiently well guided negotiations by UN special envoy Martti Ahtisaari and his deputy Albert Rohan.

Serbian Minister of Energy and Mining Radomir Naumov said that the government supported today the construction of a regional gas pipeline through Serbia that should secure a stable supply of gas for Serbia as well as provide substantial annual revenues.

The gas pipeline is worth around $800 million, he said and added that the gas from Turkey will go via Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia to the north of Italy.

He said that the capacity of the gas pipeline is 20 billion cubic metres per year, which will secure complete stability in the gas supply of Serbia, as well as safe inflow of gas towards western Europe.

Mladjan Dinkic addresses the media

Serbian Minister of Finance Mladjan Dinkic said that this is the greatest investment project of this government because the gas pipeline will bring $200 million in revenues per year, which Serbia will share with its Russian partner Gazprom-Gazexport.

Although according to a previous decision the gas pipeline was not supposed to pass through Serbia, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and Russian President Vladimir Putin came to a new decision, and the flow of gas through Serbia will contribute to the development of the entire region of southern and central Serbia, Dinkic pointed out.

According to Dinkic, the government also adopted five sectoral plans as part of the National investment plan, whose total value is €800 million.

Dinkic said that these are the plans for projects in the field of transport infrastructure, health care, culture, tourism and reconstruction of religious facilities.

According to the finance minister, more than €600 million is envisaged for transport infrastructure and health, €100 million for tourism and culture and €15 million for religious facilities.

He explained that part of the funds has been secured from loans, and other part from privatisation proceeds.

Dinkic explained that the government adopted the Decree on national recognitions and awards for sportsmen, which envisages paying permanent remuneration to the winners of medals at the Olympic games and holders of world records in the Olympic disciplines.

Gold medal winners will receive three average monthly incomes per month, or some 60,000 dinars, and silver and bronze medal winners something less, Dinkic said and added that a similar programme is planned for the best local artists.