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Resolving concrete problems of people in Kosovo-Metohija
Novi Sad,
1 March 2012
Head of the Serbian team for talks with Pristina Borislav Stefanovic stated in Novi Sad today that setting the date for the negotiations with the EU on Serbia’s accession is not conditioned by the issue of Kosovo-Metohija.
Addressing the press prior to a roundtable conference “Western Balkans between a crisis and a European perspective”, Stefanovic reiterated that the issue of Kosovo’s status is clearly defined by the Serbian Constitution.
He said that the problems that will have to be dealt with are only not linked to the implementation of reforms which were highly graded and green lighted by EU organs, but also to resolving concrete problems of everyday lives of people in the province.
The approval of Serbia’s candidate status will be an extremely important step in the EU integration process, while the beginning of negotiation talks will represent the final confirmation of Serbia’s EU entry, Stefanovic added.
He voiced his hope that the date of the negotiations will also be determined this year, adding that Serbia will be fully capable of responding to this administrative, technical and political challenge.
Stefanovic reiterated that agreements reached in dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina do not predict the province’s status, adding that the line between Kosovo and Serbia will be administrative, without any characteristics of a state border, but with certain control which has to be in place.
By UNMIK’s decision, which was affirmed by the UN Security Council, Kosovo is a special customs territory, therefore there can be no customs control there.
Stefanovic noted the importance of opening two crossing points in the north of Kosovo which were blocked, adding that Serbia will keep working on that.
He said that the problems that will have to be dealt with are only not linked to the implementation of reforms which were highly graded and green lighted by EU organs, but also to resolving concrete problems of everyday lives of people in the province.
The approval of Serbia’s candidate status will be an extremely important step in the EU integration process, while the beginning of negotiation talks will represent the final confirmation of Serbia’s EU entry, Stefanovic added.
He voiced his hope that the date of the negotiations will also be determined this year, adding that Serbia will be fully capable of responding to this administrative, technical and political challenge.
Stefanovic reiterated that agreements reached in dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina do not predict the province’s status, adding that the line between Kosovo and Serbia will be administrative, without any characteristics of a state border, but with certain control which has to be in place.
By UNMIK’s decision, which was affirmed by the UN Security Council, Kosovo is a special customs territory, therefore there can be no customs control there.
Stefanovic noted the importance of opening two crossing points in the north of Kosovo which were blocked, adding that Serbia will keep working on that.
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