Keepin touch

Whether you have a question, comment, suggestion or any problem in the purview of the government, send us your message and we will try to respond as soon as possible. If your problem is not in our purview, we will forward your message to the relevant institution.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Modern and functional state union is the best model for the future

Belgrade, 4 February 2005

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said upon the second anniversary of the signing of the Constitutional Charter that Serbia is firmly committed to the European path of the state union, which is in the best interest both of Serbia and Montenegro, while a modern and functional state union is the best model for the future of Serbia and Montenegro.

Vojislav Kostunica

This is the written statement of the Serbian Prime Minister:

Today is two years since the Constitutional Charter of Serbia-Montenegro has become effective. This document established a state union as a specific form of state and in that way, with the support of the European Union, we managed to overcome an internal split in Montenegro and halt the process of further disintegration of the country.

If we look at the circumstances in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia two years ago as well as in the wider region, the establishment of the state union with all its systemic and functional defects was the best possible solution at that moment. Serbia did not have any real reason to cut its state ties with Montenegro, neither in the terms of economy or security. It is not necessary to speak about the cultural and historical ties of the two republics. On the contrary, any serious analyses showed that a responsible political approach to this issue could not allow for radical separation, as Montenegrin authorities and part of political public demanded. The EU accepted such position of Serbia and less than one year after the adoption of the Charter helped to reach a compromise political agreement as a framework for the Constitutional Charter.

The favourable assessment of the feasibility study, expected by the end of March, would be of great importance for the future of the state union. That would mark the formal beginning of the union's EU accession process, which is undoubtedly a crucial step forward of Serbia-Montenegro in the process of European integrations.

I am sure that the accession of the state union into the EU is the best solution for our country and that the continuation of the integration process is a much better and more rational solution than new separations and disintegration of the state, because that would only create new problems. Serbia is firmly committed to EU integration of the state union and I think that that is in the best interest both of Serbia and Montenegro. A modern and functional state union is the best model for the future of Serbia and Montenegro.