First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic held today an extraordinary press conference in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, informing of Burundi’s revocation of the recognition of Kosovo as an independent state.
”In the past few days, Pristina has been marking the 10th anniversary of the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo. I brought the Note of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Burundi whereby they have revoked their recognition of Kosovo.”
The Minister underlined that he had thus demonstrated how fragile Kosovo’s independence is and how “fake” is the list of 116 countries presented by the Kosovo authorities to its citizens.
“I invite them to show the papers of all 116 countries. The list includes countries which have not at all recognized Kosovo”, emphasized the Serbian Foreign Minister, indicating that the Kosovo issue cannot be resolved without reaching an agreement with Serbia.
He pointed out that, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, he has been able to convince three countries to revoke their recognitions and sent out a message that he would continue the fight for state and national interests.
“We are not a great power, but we are certainly greater than Kosovo,” said Dacic.
Minister Dacic further said today that the joint EU position does not state that Serbia must recognize Kosovo, adding that it is arrogant, unacceptable and counter-productive to request that from Serbia.
He raised the question as to who made the decision within the EU framework that Serbia had to recognize Kosovo, indicating further that Serbia should settle its bilateral relations before joining the EU.
“They wrote that we must resolve our bilateral relations. But why did they fail to do that in the example of Croatia and Slovenia? How is it possible that it did not matter then, and that it matters now?” asked Minister Dacic.
Foreign Minister Dacic thanked the State Department today for the message of congratulations sent on the occasion of Serbia’s Statehood Day, and drew attention to the fact that it was for the first time in official communication that the US Administration recalled its alliance with Serbia.
“I am grateful to the State Department and Rex Tillerson for the message of congratulations sent on the occasion of the Statehood Day. I had a meeting with him and I am pleased that in his message he referred to my words to him – that a hundred years ago, the US President at the time, Woodrow Wilson, made a special declaration, inviting the American people to express their solidarity with the Serbian people, through prayers.”
Minister Dacic recalled that, on that 28 July 1918, the Serbian flag was flown over the White House.
“I call upon all to intensify – as a State and people – the fight for our own interests”, concluded the Serbian Foreign Minister at the press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
