Medvedev: "EC wants Serbia to end free trade deal with Russia"

Medvedev: "EC wants Serbia to end free trade deal with Russia"

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has said that the European Commission is asking Serbia to terminate its free trade agreement with Russia.

Medvedev noted that the agreement was reached by officials of Russia and Yugoslavia on August 28, 2000.

Simultaneous participation in two free trade zones - Russia and the European Union - is not possible, according to Medvedev, who said he discussed this with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, Russian media are reporting today.

"Now, when Serbia is preparing to join the EU, the European Commission requires the termination of this agreement. Therefore our fears are fully justified," Medvedev said at the meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Serbia has asked Russia to expand the free trade agreement to several products. Such requests are related to Russian's ban on import of certain goods from the West.

Serbia has proposed to expand the agreement to include sugar, cigarettes, alcohol, meat and cars.