Novi Sad: The European Parliament (EP) Rapporteur for Serbia  stated yesterday that no-one was setting Belgrade recognition of Kosovo independence as a condition for EU entry.

Kacin said, “Individuals in Serbia are thinking that up as a condition. Serbia, instead of tackling the challenges it faces on its road to Europe, is concerned with Kosovo and Kacin and talk of the EP, in an attempt to escape from reality and do something for itself.”

The EP rapporteur said, Serbia has a responsibility, not only to itself and to its EU future, but to the future of the whole region.

“When Serbia, with all its capacities, acts for the whole region as a kind of lighthouse, everything goes well, but when Serbia shuts its windows, that darkness has a negative bearing on all its immediate and indirect neighbors in the region,” said Kacin.

One of the Serbian dailies yesterday published Kacin’s comment that “Serbia can enter the European Union” even if it does not recognize the Kosovo Albanians’ secession.

“In the end, when all the countries of South East Europe gain the membership, Serbia can wait for Kosovo to do all that is needed and meet the conditions, and then, at the same time with Kosovo, join the European Union,” he said.

“Whenever Serbia is faced with some difficulties on its road towards the European integration, it pulls out the Kosovo card,” he said.

When reminded that Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Delic, DS, recently announced that he will request the dismissal of the EP rapporteur “who is openly backing separatists in Kosovo”, Kacin said that he is “not convinced that the caretaker government in Serbia and Deputy Prime Minister Delic are Europe-oriented”.