We have a president with the same constitutional authority that had Milosevic and Tadic. Nikolic’s position in the political relations is weaker because he is not head of the largest party, while Milosevic and Tadic were.

I do not know what is the idea of President Nikolic and on what refers a new platform on Kosovo. As the Prime Minister told me, so far he and the president did not discuss about what is actually meant when it comes to this platform. There is no dispute about that in Serbia there are talks about it. I am convinced that we will have the full consent of the government and president in the coming period, said in an interview for Politika Ivica Dacic, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia.

So, from what you have heard so far from President Nikolic, the idea is not clear to you?

That’s right, but what I know for sure is that Serbia cannot give up the Brussels Treaty. After all, the Brussels Agreement was a condition: if there was no Brussels agreement Serbia would not make any further step in European integration. We are all aware of that.

Is the new platform necessary at all?

The Brussels Agreement does not solve the whole problem, some concrete things; many issues remained to talk about. What we discussed with the President and at the time of the signing of the Brussels Treaty, is that it is necessary that all these things in Brussels, that we talk about with Pristina, at the end of the negotiations, are legalized with the specific constitutional law to ensure that all of this is a part of our legal system. Since then, in the national leadership there were no talks on this subject, and the Prime Minister should talk and about this with the President. The government has a program that Aleksandar Vucic has defined in his keynote address, and in this sense we will continue conducting the policy.

The President considers the Brussels Agreement acceptable to the Serbs in the south, but as not the best for those in the north?

This agreement was signed with the full consent of all political actors and the whole government. Me as prime minister, Aleksandar Vucic, as first vice president and head of state, Tomislav Nikolic.

Platform is the idea of the President; he should be talking to the Prime Minister and to find the best solutions.

Negotiations are continuing with Pristina on February 9, what will be on the table?

Still it is not defined whether it will be on February 9, or some day before.

This is the first meeting in the new format, the first meeting of the new prime ministers, and the first that leads Mogherini instead Ashton. One part of the format is added, so now it will be a talk “the prime ministers plus one”. I will be with the Prime Minister at the first meeting, later somebody else will go, depending on the topic being discussed. This meeting is designed as a new beginning in a new format of talks. It should be analysed how far we reached and what remains to be done to make up for the lost time. I do not expect now that new themes will be launched and forthwith make decisions on them.

At the end of the negotiations should follow a legally binding agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, what is it?

I think that no one knows. For that reason this formulation is needed which does not mean anything, because it was not possible to reach an agreement. In the EU there is no agreement or consensus on the issue of Kosovo. Why Serbia would now clarify what it means when formulation used, let us be completely open, means nothing. Why should we deal with what the EU does not even know what it means.

You think that we should not deal with the final solution of the Kosovo issue, as it was formulated by President Nikolic?

This term is not too popular because it was used against the Jews in the Holocaust. We were always talking about the need to find a comprehensive solution for Kosovo. I now think the same thing, but Pristina thinks it was a decision already achieved. What will be a comprehensive solution, we will see in the future. We now play a game in the longer run than the Brussels dialogue. Because there is the UN, and because without agreement with Serbia there cannot be a solution that is related to the UN. For Serbia, it is important that there are still a large number of countries that have not recognized Kosovo’s independence, and we want to give them special attention.

How do you see statement of the President Nikolic, who stirred the pot by saying that we would be requested to recognize the independence before the accession to the EU? Is it about honesty, collection of political points or something else?

I fully understand his concern, various statements of people who come from the European political scene as well as from the United States, reflect the fact that they believe that this issue has already been resolved.

But no one else publicly said that this is requested from Serbia?

We have clearly said to all interlocutors that from our side this is out of the question.

You mean you would never react like Nikolic?

It is an individual matter, the President is an autonomous body, he has its constitutional authority and he may make such statements. The politics of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is moving within the policies established by the Government of Serbia and we are more looking to find points that pull us forward, rather than to highlight what we disagree about.

Do you speak with the President about Serbian foreign policy?

Primarily I consult primarily with the Prime Minister because I am primarily an official of the Government of Serbia. And, of course, with the President in part that concerns our joint activities and his constitutional powers. But never had happen that we differ, no decision so far has been made with different opinions.

Whether times are changing?

I do not think that is changing, even the President himself said he would not propose anything which the government will not accept. I’m sure that the President and Prime Minister will find formulations that are in the national interest.

President Nikolic now brings an idea to change the Constitution and that the president is elected by parliament?

When it comes to changing the Constitution, it should be done at the end of the negotiation process with the EU. Here I do not mean about the preamble, it is politically part of the Constitution. There are many things related to the political system, presidential election. It all depends on the powers that we want a president to have. But this is not just a matter of constitutional powers. We had a variety of examples. The constitutional powers have not changed from the time of Milosevic, and he is all and the end of all. And Tadic, too. How now that we have a weak president with the same constitutional authority? It is about personality, or about the position, it all depends on the position of the man, whether he is the boss or not. It is obvious that Nikolic’s position is weaker in the political relations; he is not head of the largest party, while Milosevic and Tadic were. There is no need to criticize only the Constitution for all.

Would your party nominate you if the president is elected by parliament?

I never said I wanted to be a candidate for president, I said that the SPS would have a candidate since Milosevic’s decision to support Seselj presidential election was a disaster.

But you said a few days ago that you might support another candidate?

We have an agreement with the SNS to support a common candidate.

A German portal noted, referring to the presidency of the OSCE, that “Serbian Foreign Minister, Ivica Dacic does not seem that happy because suddenly he has to bear great responsibility”?

German journalists should have in mind that Germany in last moment signed up for the next Presiding. Only with our and Burkhalter’s urging, Germany and Austria have applied for the presidency, realizing that the presidency today perhaps is the most difficult in the past 40 years. Since no one reported, I said jokingly that we can do it and next year.

What Serbia can do in the Ukrainian crisis, what no one else could?

Serbia is not expected to solve the Ukrainian crisis, but in an impartial and objective manner to lead an organization that has a number of operational tasks. For the first time after many years, the OSCE budget this year was passed on time, Serbia’s first diplomatic victory.

Did you call Vuk Jeremic to the presidency team?

No, his interests are the UN.

Did you made a decision, whether you will support him?

No, we did not.