First chapters waiting for winter (Vecernje Novosti)
Berlin has defined requests in order to approve next step until the end of the year in Serbia’s integration. Certain shift is needed in the area of energy and creation of the Association/Community of Serb municipalities.
Official Berlin is ready to unblock the negotiations between Serbia and the EU and to give green light in December for the opening first chapters, learned Novosti.
Chapters 23 and 24 on judiciary, rule of law and security would be open at the very beginning, along with the chapter 35 on Kosovo. Belgrade is already unofficially informed about the time-line, and warned that Germany won’t give up on several requests that have to do with Kosovo.
It appears important for Berlin that action plans for chapters 23 and 24 are accomplished in following months, but certain shift is needed with regard to few remaining counts from the Brussels Agreement, first of all on energy and A/CSM.
Germany’s stand point, however, seems to be more flexible to certain extent, thus, there are no requests that everything should be over until the end of the year from the area of energy, but only that differences are overcome with regard to registration of companies that will distribute the electricity in the north, and over the management of the energy sub-station Valac.
Even though Lake Gazivode has appeared as a burning issue, it seems likely that Berlin will acknowledge position of Belgrade that this is the topic that should be discussed when property issues come into focus.
Dragging with the creation of the creation of the A/CSM should not be an obstacle, too, due to prevailing mood in Berlin is that Serbs should not be punished for Pristina’s obstructions, which canceled the planned meeting on this topic on Tuesday in Brussels. Serbian Prime Minister, Aleksandar Vucic, stated on Tuesday that Belgrade is not responsible for the halt in negotiations.
Our side requests respect of the argumentation that creation of the A/CSO and solution for Lake Gazivode are the key issues for survival of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, which is also the request heard by representatives of the Serbian List.