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Opposition leader slams President Vucic over Belgrade-Pristina talks (N1, Danas)

Anyone who feels shame would either resign or withdraw from the talks on Kosovo which deteriorated the status of Serbia, opposition leader Dragan Djilas said in a letter he sent to President Aleksandar Vucic, suggesting that the talks should involve someone “more intelligent, capable and fair.”

The letter came as a response after, as Djilas put it, the President of Serbia said he had nothing to discuss with the opposition and that the Serbs would find out about the plan for Kosovo only after he informs the Albanians about it.

Djilas assessed that Vucic was jeopardising the Serbs’ existence and asked him to answer the questions regarding the Belgrade-Pristina talks.

The European Union-mediated talks between Belgrade and Pristina on normalisation of relations were halted after Kosovo introduced the 100 percent import tariffs on goods from Serbia and kept them in place despite the warnings from Brussels and Washington.

Since declaring its independence from Serbia in 2008, Kosovo was recognised by some 100 worldwide countries including some most powerful ones but never by Serbia. Because it is not a UN member, Belgrade maintains it is not a real state.

The opposition leader asked Vucic to explain why the Brussels talks turned from technical into the talks on the status of Kosovo and borders of Serbia.

He also asked the President to explain why the representatives of the Serb List are sitting in the Government of Kosovo which introduces customs for Serbia and proposes platforms, while not solving the murder of the Civic Initiative SDP leader Oliver Ivanovic.

“The ruling majority of Kosovo Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, always depend on their votes. Why do you keep Haradinaj in power, Aleksandar Vucic? Violating the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia is leaving consequences. How much is your oath worth?,” asked Djilas.

The opposition leader wonders why the President rejects to schedule the Parliament’s session on the issue of Kosovo. He added that the solution lies in the reconciliation of the Serbs and the Albanians, and not in the demarcation.

“Anyone feeling some shame would resign or withdraw from the talks in which Serbia’s position was deteriorated. If you cared about Serbia you would let someone more intelligent, capable and fair do that instead. Of course, you won’t do that. You’re in a hurry ‘to solve Kosovo’ as soon as possible.

You will answer why is that so once the time for that comes. Not to me and not now,” added Djilas.

According to the Belgrade based daily Danas, Serbian opposition leader Dragan Djilas plans to form a new political party and will name it the Party of Freedom and Justice. Djilas is likely to make an official announcement by end of March.

An unnamed source told Danas that the party will merge together the Green Ecological Party, Serbian Left Party, several groups of citizens from all parts of Serbia as well as individuals that are affiliated with no party.

Djilas's party will, according to the plan, immediately become a part of the opposition bloc Alliance for Serbia, as stipulated by its statute.

The source close to Djilas claims that the party will be advocating the same 30 principles outlined in the Alliance for Serbia's programme.