Brussels, 10/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - The political crisis in Serbia, where elections have been announced for 11 May, following the disintegration of the government on the question of Kosovo, dominated the debate that EU foreign ministers held on Monday 10 March on the western Balkans. On Saturday 8 March, Serbian prime minister, Vojislav Kostunica, resigned, putting an end to the government coalition that had lasted ten months and which contained his Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and pro-western groupings including the Democratic Party (DS) of president Boris Tadic. This was brought about by the divergence of views on what attitude Serbia should take vis-à-vis the European Union of which 15 of the 27 member states have already recognised an independent Kosovo. Although president Tadic is appealing for an acceleration in the country's European integration, prime minister Kostunica would like Serbia to distance itself from the EU, which he accuses of having promoted Kosovo's “illegal” independence.
The EU usually takes care to avoid taking a position in election campaigns but on Monday the Slovenian presidency of the EU did not hide the fact that in the 11 May election it would like a victory for the pro-European forces surrounding president Tadic. The Slovenian foreign affairs minister and current president of the Council, Dimitrij Rupel, arriving at the External Relations Council in Brussels declared, “I hope that the pro-European Union forces will win the elections…I have seen encouraging signs”. Rupel also said, “to be frank, I do not think that our Serbian friends have an alternative to the European Union. Where would they go?” Mr Rupel also informed the press at the end of the Council that, “We want Serbia to choose Europe”. Others, such as the EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, sees the election as a chance for Serbia to tell their political class that after Kosovo's independence, they want to continue with the track towards European integration. On Monday Solana said, “We have an occasion for the people of Serbia to choose which way ahead…I really hope they will continue to push in favour of a deep and solid relationship with the European Union”. Commissioner Olli Rehn (enlargement) said that after Monday's Council, the Serbian people would have just two options on 11 May: a “European future” or risk finding themselves isolated. The Swedish foreign minister, Carl Bildt, also called on Serbians to, “choose a firmer European way ahead than they had done so far”. The same hope was expressed by the minister from Luxembourg, Jean Asselborn, who made an unambiguous call for the Serbian people to, “strengthen Tadic” and other pro-European parties. He said that Serbia now had to send out, “positive signals” to show that it is prepared to work with the EU on a constructive basis.
The situation in Kosovo, three weeks after the unilateral declaration of independence (17 February) was also debated by ministers during lunch. The general situation is certainly unstable, but it is better than many had predicted, explained Mr Rupel to the press. UNMIK (which in the long term, is expected to be replaced by the European mission, EULEX) is doing a great job, explained Rupel, who also said that it should be reinforced to ensure security at the border between Serbia and Kosovo. In Monday's debate Javier Solana confirmed “European Union unity” on deploying the EU civilian mission (EULEX) to Kosovo. Solana confirmed that this mission would cover the whole of Kosovo, including the north, where the majority of Serbs lived. The EU High Representative said that the deployment would take place as planned, according to the agreed timetable and in cooperation with UNMIK.
On Monday the Council also adopted conclusions on: Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ministers welcomed the progress made by the country towards signing the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) and encouraged it to fulfil the remaining final conditions “as soon as possible” (particularly police reform); the Regional Cooperation Council, RCC). The Council points out the importance of regional cooperation and underlines the role the new RCC will play in the future, which took over from the Stability Pact on 27 February. (H.B.)