Djuric: Lunacek's statements incorrect and detrimental

BELGRADE - Director of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija (KiM) Marko Djuric qualified on Sunday as incorrect and detrimental the statement by European Parliament Vice President Ulrike Lunacek who said that recognition of Kosovo constitutes a condition for Serbia's EU accession.

In a statement for Tanjug, Djuric said that such a claim is irresponsible and incorrect and explained this by the fact that the EU does not have a political consensus on the issue because five EU member countries do not recognise the so-called Republic of Kosovo and all relevant EU decisions are adopted and shall be adopted through consensus.

The EU stand is that of neutrality and such statements are detrimental to the normalisation of relations, Djuric said and added that Serbia is not conducting talks with Pristina in order to realise anyone's geopolitical agenda but rather in view of strengthening and helping its people in KiM. Lunacek's bias is not helping either her or Pristina as the side she wants to help so badly, Djuric said.

Instead of the call for the local population to declare their citizenship as that of the Republic of Kosovo, it would be far more useful for the normalisation of relations in KiM if Mrs. Lunacek showed interest in, for example, the position of Serbs in enclaves and the security and social economic conditions for sustainable stay, return and survival of the Serb community in KiM, Djuric noted.

In an interview for the Belgrade-based daily Kurir on Sunday, Lunacek said, among other things, that the EU will never accept a new member unless it has clearly defined and internationally recognised borders, and called on Serbs from Kosovo to state their citizenship as that of Kosovo, with equal rights and obligations....