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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Only Serbia in its entirety can enter EU

Orasac, 15 February 2008

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica reiterated today in Orasac that Kosovo is Serbia and that no one can take Serbia into Europe or out of it, and that Serbia should enter the European Union only in its entirety, just as all other members entered it.

Vojislav Kostunica

Author: Tanjug

Kostunica said that over the centuries, many times, many tyrants have taken Kosovo away from us by force. But this is the first time in our history that they want us to agree with that, approve it and accept it, to applaud as slaves the seizing of Kosovo. To say it is not ours by signing, something which for centuries is actually ours. To admit that we are not from Kosovo, although we are. That our Patriarchate is not where it is and that Visoki Decani monastery is not a message from the Serbian kings which they have been sending to us for centuries.

"They say to our brothers in Kosovo that they have moved to another state, although they did not abandon their houses and fields. They have not and never will. That they are separated from us. They are not and never will be. Serbia will not, nor can it separate from everything that she is. If we forget Kosovo, our sacred sites, our people and our ancestors – how shall we answer the question: who are we Serbs? Where are we from? Where are our origins? How have we lasted throughout all these centuries?

We are ordinary people in difficult times. The world is placing too big a task before our generation. The world is asking us – what is the price of being a Serb? What is the price of your memory? How much is your history? How many square metres do your monasteries cover so that we can give you compensation? It is better to pay you to be something else. It is worthwhile for you to be something else, not what you are. I am forced to say – the request they are making in these difficult times is very hard for us. Who gave us the right to give up on our origins, name, home, religion, history? To turn over the ground of Gazimestan. To go ahead somewhere, to someone's promises that it is better to be humiliated and deprived of memory and the burden of history. If every previous generation of Serbs, faced with these fateful decisions, acted in this way over the centuries, what would we be today?

We are marked by that request which the world places only before our people. What is that in our memory, in our history, in ourselves, which makes the world want to change us by force, to reduce us by force, to erase our memory by force? And what's more, for us to sign that we accept to do all of that. To punish ourselves. To sit at the table of the European family as the only state which got its chair at the European table through indecent trade, self-denial of its own memory and identity.

There are some among us who say that it is easier that way. That it pays off more that way. I cannot make such a calculation. We are born as Serbs and we must remain Serbs. Just as everyone from this place who chose to go their own way two centuries ago, and not the one offered to them as safer and easier. That remains our choice, although we are in another era and circumstances.

This century is increasingly becoming one ruled by power and not justice. If we agree to what is being asked from us today, we will reject not only the generations that have preceded us but also rob future generations of their right to fight for justice. We cannot reject our ancestors, we cannot jeopardize the rights of our descendants and remain that what we are.

Just as Serbs were unified in Kosovo in 1389 and in Orasac in 1804, today all state institutions and all citizens of Serbia should be united in the defence of Kosovo. This is perhaps the only question upon which there should be no differences. Yesterday the Serbian government made a historic decision to, in advance, and once and for all to annul the illegitimate declaration of a puppet state on the territory of Serbia.

Whoever has heard about Serbs and Serbia knows that Serbia is in Europe and the Serbs are a European nation. And two centuries ago it was not just Serbia who discovered Europe but Europe discovered Serbia as well. And when it did that, it found within Serbia European ideas and values and Kosovo as a synonym for the most valuable contribution made by Serbia to the Christian civilization. Therefore, no one can integrate Serbia into Europe or leave it out, and Serbia should enter the EU in its entirety, just as all its other member countries did.

We all know that we respected all the conditions set by international law for democratic countries. We have been partners to the entire world with great good will for eight years. We have not violated a single agreement. We have shown neither anger nor bitterness. We did not terminate relations with those who deserved it. Today we ask – which country in the world would agree to accept that what is being imposed upon Serbia? Which country would display such a degree of restraint? Which country’s citizens would show such self control and such a high level of dignity during a national tragedy that is being imposed from outside?

The example of Serbia makes it obvious to anyone what happens when the weak oppose the powerful, even if only through arguments and by the most legitimate democratic means. And this unheard of propaganda, pressures, blackmail and threats serve only to shake the self confidence and faith of Serbia in the law, justice, reason and truth so that we accept the lawless rule of power.

It is unfortunate that in the 21st century anyone should be in a dilemma whether to stand up for justice or to support injustice, and not only does Serbia’s future depend on the answer to this question, but also the legal order and future of the entire world. This is why we are convinced that by defending Kosovo, Serbia is defending something greater than just its own territory.

Respected citizens, once again it is from this place that we say to Serbs living in Kosovo-Metohija and all those who respect and consider Serbia to be their country, that Kosovo is Serbia and they can only be the citizens of Serbia. All the children in Kosovo must sleep in peace as if they were in Sumadija. Those who have taken the responsibility upon themselves to guarantee them all this, are absolutely under obligation to fulfil this responsibility.