Serbia rejected a European Union-brokered deal for reconciliation with its former province of Kosovo on Monday – a defiant move that could jeopardise its EU membership aspirations and fuel tensions in the Balkans. The EU had given Serbia until Tuesday to say whether it would relinquish its effective control over the northern region in exchange for the start of EU membership negotiations.
| Serbs might want to rethink being in the EU. Definitely want to rethink joining the Euro... |
Even before the government rejection, Aleksandar Vucic, the deputy prime minister and Serbia's most powerful governing party leader, said the plan was unacceptable because it did not give more autonomy to minority ethnic Serbs in Kosovo who, together with Serbia, reject Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence.
"The Serbian government cannot accept the proposed principles ... because they do not guarantee full security, survival and protection of human rights for the Serbs in Kosovo," said Ivica Dacic, the prime minister. "Such an agreement could not be implemented and would not lead to a lasting and sustainable solution."
Catherine Ashton, the EU's top diplomat, said after the eighth round of talks
| ...rousting herself from her daytime job of food and drink... |
between Serbian and Kosovan officials last week in Brussels that she wanted a response from both sides and that the bloc's mediation was over. Despite warnings that there will be no more EU-sponsored negotiations under Ashton's mediation, Vucic and the government called for more talks with rival ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. |