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Fundamental not territorial changes for Western Balkans to join EU (BETA, TV N1)

The integration of the Western Balkans into Europe means fundamental not territorial changes, Regional Cooperation Council Secretary General Majlinda Bregu said on Tuesday, BETA news agency reports.

“The European Union is the most important force in the region in the promotion of democracy, rule of law and respect for human and minority rights. EU expansion policy has had real influence in shaping real opportunities in the region,” Bregu told the 16th Vienna Congress.

Dacic: Haradinaj unaware of situation he is in (SRNA, Blic, Vecernje Novosti)

Commenting on a letter Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj sent to the world leaders saying “that Kosovo negotiates with Serbia as a sovereign state”, Foreign Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic said Haradinaj is unaware of the situation he is in, Blic daily reports.

“If it is so, why they do not become a UN member, join Interpol or UNESCO, why 13 countries have revoked recognitions of Kosovo, and why the USA and the EU accept to look for a compromise,” Dacic told Vecernje Novosti daily.

Bugajski: You cannot simply change borders (Tanjug, B92, RFE)

Analyst Janusz Bugajski from Washington Center for European Policy Analysis does not exclude a possibility that Kosovo issue is resolved by changing the borders, Tanjug news agency reports.

“Let’s see if both sides are serious, and the way I understood it, in line with such agreement, Serbia should recognize Kosovo as an independent state. Serbia should change its Constitution even before correction of borders is made,” Bugajski said.

"Whoever deals with us, has their career destroyed" (Tanjug, B92)

Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said that the resignation of US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Wess Mitchell was " bad news." As Dacic stated, Mitchell understood that the US should open a door to a compromise between Belgrade and Pristina.

"Clearly it's a curse posting. Whoever deals with us, has their political career ruined," Dacic told reporters in Belgrade. Dacic had also had a remark concerning the fate of the EU.

Jeremic on Vucic, Kosovo, change of borders (Danas, Der Standard)

Leader of Peoples’ Party Vuk Jeremic in an interview to Vienna-based Der Standard said that Serbia is no longer a democratic state but “a corrupted autocracy” in which the President of the Republic grabbed all leverages of power, while he secretly negotiates on redrawing the borders in the region, Danas daily reports.

"They used to pick up guns, now they pick up phones" (Tanjug, B92)

EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn said "the relationship between Serbia and Kosovo has improved." He added that there have been events in the past few weeks that would in the past would have lead to "both sides reaching for their weapons."

"Today, the presidents reach for the phone and call each other," the EU official has been quoted as saying. According to him, these are some positive moves when observed over a longer period of time.

Dacic responds to Slovenian FM Cerar and his remarks about Serbia (Novosti)

Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic commenting on yesterday’s statements of his Slovenian counterpart Cerar on protests in Serbia, Putin’s visit and EU path, said that Cerar speaks about political crisis in Belgrade and they barely managed to form a government, Vecernje Novosti reported.

Drecun: Taxes will be lifted, Haradinaj looks for way to avoid embarrassment (Tanjug)

Serbian Assembly Committee for Kosovo and Metohija Chairperson Milovan Drecun thinks taxes on goods from central Serbia will be abolished, Tanjug news agency reported.

Drecun added that Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj now tries to act in line with USA wishes, but at the same time “avoid the embarrassment.”

Is Serbia still on EU path, Slovenian FM wonders (Tanjug, B92)

The latest developments in Serbia raise the question of whether Belgrade is still on the European path, Slovenian Foreign Minister Miro Cerar has said.

Speaking before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Slovenian Parliament, Cerar added that Serbia should declare its stance on European orientation, STA is reporting. According to him, these questions should be discussed through talks with Serbian officials, and concern should be expressed over them.

Zecevic: Germany is interested to resolve Kosovo issue (RTS)

Institute for European Studies Professor, Slobodan Zecevic told RTS Germany is interested that Serbia joins the EU, but also to resolve the Kosovo issue, since Serbia cannot enter the EU with unresolved relations with Albanians.

He also assessed that Pristina by refusing to lift taxes, despite requests from USA and EU, became some sort of “fugitive” in relation to the international law and international relations.