Belgrade, 19/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - Vogislav Kostunica, main opposition candidate in the presidential elections on 24 September in FRY, welcomed the EU Council's message of 18 September indicating that EU will lift its sanctions against Belgrade if these elections lead to a "democratic change" (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.5). European policy towards Yugoslavia "has improved" he said in a press release taken up by the Beta Agency, in which he also welcomes the commitment by the EU Council President, Hubert Védrine, to "lift sanctions". However, Mr Kostunica showed some "concern" about the Fifteen's decision to hold an EU/Balkans Summit, on 24 November in Zagreb (we recall that the holding of such a summit had been proposed by President Chirac). The opposition leader states in his press release: "Subjects as important as the normalisation of relations between Yugoslavia and its neighbours or the status of Kosovo cannot be treated until the county is democratised, free of all sanctions and has become a full member of the UN" and of other international organisations.
Doris Pack (EPP-ED, German), Chairperson of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with South East Europe, welcomed the "strong political signal" given by the Council to the Serb people. "We want the Serb people to know that we are on their side", she said, restating the EP's support to journalists, human rights activists and all citizens fighting courageously for democracy in Serbia.