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Government enjoys support of parliamentary majority
Belgrade,
15 November 2004
Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica told BK television yesterday that the Serbian government will persevere and that it enjoys support of a majority of deputies in the Serbian parliament. However, it will not use any immoral means to keep that support.
Vojislav Kostunica
Kostunica said that the executive power will always respect the parliamentary majority, which was not won by illegal and immoral means or by taking away mandates from other parties.
Commenting on the criticisms that crime rates are increasing and that "great murders" have not been solved, the Prime Minister explained that many problems are rooted in the past, the wars the country participated in, isolation and organised crime.
What matters is that there is no corruption in the government and around it, which is a guarantee that these issues will be resolved, Kostunica stressed.
Speaking about the problem in Kosovo-Metohija, Kostunica said that the political solution should be looked for in the European perspective of the region. He stressed that that solution will entail neither division nor the province's independence.
Kostunica reiterated that the idea of the province's division is not a solution and that it is not feasible. It would only lead to "more divisions". He described the possibility that the international community declare Kosovo independent as impossible, pointing out that a compromise solution must be found.
According to Kostunica, there is no better solution than the government's Plan for political resolution to the situation in Kosovo-Metohija, which was unanimously adopted by the Serbian parliament.
That Plan proposes self-government rule for Serbs in the province, not allowing them to have a higher level of execution of their rights, but to enjoy elementary human rights, the Prime Minister said.
Kostunica said that implementation of the Plan would allow Serbs to feel safer and to lead a peaceful and tranquil life. He highlighted that this plan does not exclude UNMIK's plan on decentralisation of Kosovo-Metohija.
Commenting on the possibility that Belgrade will be excluded from talks on the province's decentralisation and final status, Kostunica said that that is utterly unacceptable.
He said that during talks with foreign officials he stressed that the Serbian government advocates maintain a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, and that no one of those officials could deny that because open communication is a tenet of European civilisation.
Kostunica reiterated that the Serbian government has cooperated and will continue to cooperate with the Hague tribunal, adding that the majority of issues concerning documentation and relieving the witnesses of the obligation of keeping state secrets have been completed.
This cooperation must be carried out in such a way as not to jeopardise the country's stability. The pre-trial release of all our citizens who voluntarily surrendered to the court would contribute to the success of this cooperation.
According to Kostunica, one form of cooperation, namely voluntary surrender, has garnered results and therefore, there will be more of such cases.
Speaking about the state union of Serbia-Montenegro, Kostunica said that the Constitutional Charter is easy to understand, and as a result, direct elections for the parliament of Serbia-Montenegro should be held next year.
If we speak about European perspective and the law-abiding state, those who think that provisions from the Constitutional Charter can be avoided and subject to bargain, must think harder, Kostunica said. He added that the EU backed that document with its signature.
Commenting on the criticisms that crime rates are increasing and that "great murders" have not been solved, the Prime Minister explained that many problems are rooted in the past, the wars the country participated in, isolation and organised crime.
What matters is that there is no corruption in the government and around it, which is a guarantee that these issues will be resolved, Kostunica stressed.
Speaking about the problem in Kosovo-Metohija, Kostunica said that the political solution should be looked for in the European perspective of the region. He stressed that that solution will entail neither division nor the province's independence.
Kostunica reiterated that the idea of the province's division is not a solution and that it is not feasible. It would only lead to "more divisions". He described the possibility that the international community declare Kosovo independent as impossible, pointing out that a compromise solution must be found.
According to Kostunica, there is no better solution than the government's Plan for political resolution to the situation in Kosovo-Metohija, which was unanimously adopted by the Serbian parliament.
That Plan proposes self-government rule for Serbs in the province, not allowing them to have a higher level of execution of their rights, but to enjoy elementary human rights, the Prime Minister said.
Kostunica said that implementation of the Plan would allow Serbs to feel safer and to lead a peaceful and tranquil life. He highlighted that this plan does not exclude UNMIK's plan on decentralisation of Kosovo-Metohija.
Commenting on the possibility that Belgrade will be excluded from talks on the province's decentralisation and final status, Kostunica said that that is utterly unacceptable.
He said that during talks with foreign officials he stressed that the Serbian government advocates maintain a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, and that no one of those officials could deny that because open communication is a tenet of European civilisation.
Kostunica reiterated that the Serbian government has cooperated and will continue to cooperate with the Hague tribunal, adding that the majority of issues concerning documentation and relieving the witnesses of the obligation of keeping state secrets have been completed.
This cooperation must be carried out in such a way as not to jeopardise the country's stability. The pre-trial release of all our citizens who voluntarily surrendered to the court would contribute to the success of this cooperation.
According to Kostunica, one form of cooperation, namely voluntary surrender, has garnered results and therefore, there will be more of such cases.
Speaking about the state union of Serbia-Montenegro, Kostunica said that the Constitutional Charter is easy to understand, and as a result, direct elections for the parliament of Serbia-Montenegro should be held next year.
If we speak about European perspective and the law-abiding state, those who think that provisions from the Constitutional Charter can be avoided and subject to bargain, must think harder, Kostunica said. He added that the EU backed that document with its signature.
