Interview with Tomislav Nikolic, President of Serbia

Is Kosovo issue considered as an internal affair of Serbia or as regional, taking into consideration the Brussels agreement?

As long Kosovo was treated as an internal affair, Serbia had sovereignty and territorial integrity over Kosovo. After bombing and involvement of the West, Serbia withdrew the Army. It was a big deception that the United Nations will replace Serbia and its institutions.  NATO flag waved over the territory. After it we came to the EULEX, or directly to the EU.  Then it became clear that Kosovo issue was internationalized and that states that recognized Kosovo independence have the power.

What did you exactly mean by saying that Kosovo and European road of Serbia are directly connected?

I had in mind what representatives of the European Union say: the binding agreement on good neighbourly relations with Pristina is not required for opening of the Chapters. However it is required for the EU membership, since EU countries will never again allow the country with unregulated borders to join the EU.  They mentioned the example of Cyprus. If the EU is insisting on such agreement that means that they don’t want us.

In Brussels, we reached the agreement which was “possible.” After the agreement, during the dialogue, we touched several issues, which from the standpoint of Serbian Constitution are possible, in order to give bigger competences to Pristina. All that can be regulated by the Constitutional Law which would give essential autonomy to Kosovo. The EU is insisting on the agreement between two never reconciled parties. In such agreement we would request that Pristina accept essential autonomy, what is the maximum that we can give. Pristina, which is having diplomatic relations with approximately 100 states, will insist on independence. When we will join the EU? Pristina has the time, they are in good position. Belgrade is in difficult position because there are only five EU states that didn’t recognize Kosovo independence and Belgrade is not supported by the members that are founders of the EU - those which are deciding. Can something be decided without the Germany in the EU? Hardly. It is unthinkable that Serbia can join the EU if Germany is opposing it. Many of those countries didn’t recognize Kosovo as a state because of their problems. No one is asking them to sign interstate agreement with Pristina in order to stay in EU, but they request it from Serbia in order to become a member.

Also there is a story about the joint EU foreign policy… As first, I don’t see how it is formulated and as second, I don’t see that it is implemented. If the EU is having the joint foreign policy how some countries didn’t recognize Kosovo? How they are not sanctioned?

Serbia must be very careful in those talks. Even if before existed the time of friendship in the diplomacy, now it does not exist.

Considering clear position of the EU in regards to the states whose borders are not clearly defined, does that mean that our road to the EU membership is without perspective?  

I believe that it is very good that we are negotiating with the EU; that is the sign that we are doing a good job. Moreover this government should be encouraged by the EU, since government is doing many things in order to meet criteria that exist in the Europe. It is obvious that our road to the EU is inevitable. We progressed a lot. It brought many good things for the arrangement of the state.

But what we will do when we face the condition: recognition of Kosovo or European Union?

If I will be then on this function and if I will be still alive my decision is- Serbia cannot exist without Kosovo. I don’t know the person that could say we are giving up Kosovo in order to join the EU. However, we are not those who should say that, but citizens of Serbia.