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Belgrade expects EU's "greater engagement" in region (media)

Greater engagement from Brussels is expected regarding the situation in the region, Serbian officials have told EU ambassadors.

Minister without Portfolio in charge of EU integration Jadranka Joksimovic and Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric met with ambassadors of EU member-states in Belgrade on Thursday.

Joksimovic said at a press conference held after the meeting that the ambassadors were informed about the current situation in the region, positions of Belgrade regarding the open threats and negative reactions towards Serbia directed against the stability of the region, as well as the concerns of the Serbian government that the EU and its members turn a blind eye on all that.

The current situation of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue was also discussed, the Serbian government said on its website.

"We expect a greater engagement from the EU, not only through political statements, but in the form of a plan for overcoming this situation, she explained, pointing out that the problem of threats and negative reactions towards Serbia is not only a problem of Serbia, but is much broader and can be a strategic problem," Joksimovic said.

"Our country does not accept such language because it is a serious country and therefore will continue to protect and promote its interests as to date," she said.

Djuric underlined that a clear message of today's meeting with representatives of the EU is that silence and lack of reaction should end, because silence today is the encouragement of the already tense situation.

According to him, the oppression of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and silence before the burning of the wick on the Balkan powder keg should end.

He stressed that it is clear that Serbia is committed to solving problems through dialogue, but it will not allow that the region turns into a hell of conflict and war.

Serbia wants stability and cooperation, the building of better relations, but not by remaining silent, Djuric underlined and added that he and Joksimovic informed the ambassadors of the EU member states about the statements and a series of moves by Albanian political parties in the past few months.

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics.php?yyyy=2017&mm=05&dd=04&nav_id=101194