Photo:
RIA Novosti
The recognition of the independence of the breakaway Republic of Kosovo and sanctions against Russia will be conditions for the adoption of Serbia into the European Union, said Tuesday on national television RTS President Tomislav Nikolic.
The head of Serbia noted that during one of his previous visits to Belgrade, the Commissioner for neighbourhood policy and enlargement Johannes Hahn, speaking with him at a joint press conference, he said that he heard from a guest two conditions of European integration.
“In his presence I said that Mr. Khan told me that we will not be able to go further, if you do not sign a binding good-neighborly Treaty with Kosovo and Metohija, which, in my opinion, is the recognition of Kosovo’s independence. He also said that without a common foreign policy, we will not be able to become a member of the European Union”, said Nikolic.
“After that imposed sanctions of the Russian Federation, in which we participated and in which they were supposed to participate, whether we are members of the EU. About these two conditions I said it first, many in Serbia have challenged me, never heard of, but these are the conditions about which you will hear tomorrow,” — said the head of state.
The Serbian President said that while the data requirements do not become official EU position, “ushering in the parliaments of many countries, which have to approve our membership, including the German Parliament, which will have a decisive role.”
In December 2015, Serbia and the EU opened the first two chapters of the negotiation dossier on the country’s accession to the European Union: Chapter 32 on financial control and Chapter 35, which is entitled “other issues” and, in particular, to normalize relations with the breakaway Republic of Kosovo.
In mid-July in Brussels and Belgrade opened two more chapters of the negotiation dossier on EU membership — 23rd (judiciary and fundamental rights) and 24 (justice, freedom and security). In December 2016 Serbia and the European Union opened two new chapters in the negotiation dossier — Chapter 5 (public procurement) and Chapter 25 (science and research). Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic has repeatedly stated that it expects to complete negotiations on the Republic’s accession to the EU in 2019.
Earlier, the Serbian leadership has repeatedly stated that it will not support Western sanctions against Russia.
In 1999, armed confrontation between the Albanian separatists of the Kosovo Liberation army and the army and police of Serbia led to the bombing of Yugoslavia (then consisting of Serbia and Montenegro) NATO forces. In March 2004, Kosovo Albanians staged riots, which led to mass resettlement of Serbs from the province and the destruction of numerous monuments of their history and culture.
Kosovo Albanian structures in Pristina on 17 February 2008 unilaterally declared independence from Serbia. The self-proclaimed Republic does not recognize Serbia, Syria, Russia, China, Israel, Iran, Spain, Greece and several other States.
The secret told when to lift sanctions against Russia.