H-hour has come for President Boris Tadic and for all Serbian people first of all those who still believe the current pro-Western government of Serbia. The leader of the country has openly admitted that his course for sooner entry to the EU is not only stalled but has gone bankrupt.

Extraditing the last leaders of the Serbian national opposition, who walked free – the former commander of Bosnian Serbs Ratko Mladic and former president of the Republic of Serbian Krajina in Croatia Goran Hadzic to the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the Hague – and taking monumental efforts to justify equitable agreements with the separatist regime in Pristina – the Serbian authorities have ended up with nothing.

“We should make it open to our citizens: probably we won’t get the status of the EU by the end of the year, moreover we may not have anexactdateforthelaunchofEUmembershiptalks”, – Tadic said in an interview with the Tanjug agency. This statement was picked up by the leading news agencies and is a telling result of Belgrade’s domestic and foreign policy over the last three years and a half, since the day of self-proclaimed of Kosovo’s independence. Indeed, President Boris Tadic and his government headed by Mirko Cvetkovic did everything to win Brussels’ support. Obtaining the status of EU member candidate was declared as the cure-all for all social, economic and political problems as well as the remedy, which would help to breathe a new life into the settlement of Kosovo conflict.

But it did not help. German chancellor Angela Merkel openly told Tadic what the EU high ranking officials headed by Štefan Füle, Commissioner for the Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy, had been implying over the last several months. Sheputforwardnew conditions toherSerbianpartners, demanding them not only “tosignificantlyimprove”their relations with Pristina but also to abandon Serbian institutions in the northern part of Kosovo. Under the Western scenario of “the architects of the new world order”, these institutions should be liquidated in compliance with the Strategy of Northern Kosovo published in early 2010.

It seems that even President Tadic realized that the last demand is equal to the national betrayal. On saying good-bye to his German guest Tadic declared to his nation and the whole world that "Serbia will not abandon its people in Kosovo and Metohija”. He characterized the demand to take part in suppressing of the national institutions such as hospitals and schools as “completely unnatural” for Serbia. He stressed that Serbia cannot accept such a demand. At the same time he added that Serbia“will also not give up on EU integration”and if the talks on Serbia’s entry to the EU are impossible they could become possible tomorrow. The problem of choice between the EU and Kosovo in his statement sounded quite clearly: "If the Serbian or European political public demands that Serbia should choose one, my answer will be that Serbia will not give up on any of its legitimate interests." [2]

Taking into account that hopes for the revision of the EU’s attitude to self-proclaimed independence of Kosovo (which was also staged by the EU) are vague it means that the talks between the EU and Serbia the way Belgrade saw them cannot take place.

This week Brussels is to hold next round of talks between the delegations Belgrade and Pristina. In the light of recent statements made by Tadic the character of these talks seems to be especially interesting. The leading Kosovar Albanian-language newspaper “Koha Ditore” made a fair remark that the dialog is entering its “most critical stage”. The newspaper quotes the words of an unnamed high ranking international official who voiced fears that the “whole process will be ruined”. [3]

Indeed, if the negotiations are unable to draw nearer or even theoretically ensure Serbia’s entry to the EU, the meaning of such negotiations is doubtful. In the current situation the Serbian delegation should either to toughen its position to the limit or to bring discredit upon itself in the eyes of Serbian voters by holding useless discussions with the flavor of national betrayal. For the West (frau Merkel made it clear) the talks are needed to obtain Belgrade’s consent for the suppression of Kosovar Serbs. TheZeri newspaper quoting the head of Kosovo’s government Hashim Taci wrote that in the near future we can expect Kosovo’s police to move to the north again. [4] According to the newspaper this operation may start right after the completion of the next round of talks.

What does Serbia need such talks for in the current context? – As we see, even President Tadic fails to answer this question.

Though it may seem paradoxical, but over the last few days the Serbian authorities have received some space for maneuvers. The recent unusual meeting of Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic and president of Serb Republic (RS) entity in Bosnia-Herzegovina Milorad Dodik in Banja Luka confirms it. Jeremic asked Dodik to “use his influence in Bosnia and Herzegovina” (also the level of UN Security Council) to ensure the support for Belgrade’s position on Kosovo. Speaking after talks with the reporters he dropped a remark that preliminary conditions voiced in Belgrade by Angela Merkel “will have strategic consequences for the region”. [5] This phrase may imply the rehabilitation of idea of Kosovo’s division and obtaining territorial compensations by Serbia including in the Serb republic (RS).

But in order to protect the interests of Serbian people in Kosovo more decisively Serbia should first of all wake out of “EU-trance”.

References:

[1] AFP 251715 GMT AOU 11

[2] DPA252105 GMTAug11

[3] Koha Ditore, 26.08.2011

[4] Zëri, 26.08.2011

[5] Kosova Sot, 26.08.2011