"Serbia completely different country today"

Slovak Foreign Minister Mikulas Dzurinda attended celebrations of the 10th anniversary of democratic changes that took place on October 5, 2000 and met with his Serbian counterpart as well as the president and the prime minister and FM.

"Serbia completely different country today"

Slovak Foreign Minister Mikulas Dzurinda attended celebrations of the 10th anniversary of democratic changes that took place on October 5, 2000 and met with his Serbian counterpart as well as the president and the prime minister and FM.

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He also spoke for B92 to say that Serbia is "a completely different country today".

Dzurinda: First of all I would like to congratulate your TV but also all citizens of Serbia on the jubilee on the tenth anniversary of great changes. When I look at Serbia, it is a completely different country than the one that existed ten years ago. I understand that expectations were big since the changes in 2000. The same was in Slovakia, where we expected after the Velvet Revolution that everything will go smoothly. On the other hand, I think that people have realized that all this work and such great changes could not have been done without suffering.

I’m glad that more and more people in Serbia realize that today. I’m sure that more people realize now than ten years ago that only changes are giving Serbia a chance to one day join the European nations family as a fully-fledged member of the EU… Therefore I understand a certain frustration in Serbia and Belgrade, but on the other hand, it seems to me that Serbia took a breath again, especially after adoption of the resolution on Kosovo in the UN General Assembly. I see activities that led to Serbia and EU’s common position as a true shift in relations with the EU.

B92: Considering that you took part in democratic changes in Slovakia and then in your country’s EU accession process, do you see an answer to why it took you 12 years when it will obviously take Serbia much longer?

Dzurinda: I think our path was much easier than yours. For me it was important to defeat my predecessor Vladmir Meciar. Of course it was not easy to modernize the country, to start reforms, pull Slovakia out of isolation. It was not easy, but everything was in our hands. Serbia’s path is much more difficult. You had war, then the debate on cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, then on General Ratko Mladić, the main topic was then the final status of Kosovo, negotiations led by Ahtisaari…

The modernization process and real talks with Brussels were delayed. You also had a creation of an independent state of Montenegro and finally unilaterally declaration of Kosovo’s independence. All these historic events were delaying the European integration process. For example, the debate on the Hague Tribunal made room for people who said that it was not good to go to Europe and that alternatives should be considered.

B92: Let me then ask you do the citizens of Slovakia think that some other path could have been taken?

Dzurinda: No. If you look at the surveys, the support for the EU membership is the same or stronger than ten years ago. There was a wide consensus in Slovakia that the only chance for the country, which is located in the heart of Europe, was to join the family.

B92: You have become well-known here, which maybe is not fair, after your statement that the position of Slovakia, which opposes independence of Kosovo, is not forever. It was later heard that it was a misinterpretation. I call on you now to explain what Slovakia’s position on Kosovo is.

Dzurinda: You know better than me what the media do. You know how everything can be taken out of context. As a member of the opposition I was the one who formulated Slovakia’s position on Kosovo and I was afraid of the move of the government. My formulation back in March 2007 was: Belgrade’s interests must be taken into consideration.

Therefore, if Belgrade and Priština come to negotiations, we will support it. It can be talked about, politicians should never say never, everything depends on the negotiations. What I do know is that we need stable relations in the region. I am sure you know that conditions for EU membership are political and economic. Good neighborly relations are a part of that arrangement.

B92: Still, in order to avoid further misunderstandings. The negotiations have not started yet, but at this point Slovakia remains of the opinion that it does not recognize Kosovo?

Dzurinda: Absolutely. A recognition of Kosovo is not being planned.