Dacic: At the meeting in Brussels, Kurti will continue the policy of avoiding the formation of the CSM

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic stated that Pristina had been avoiding the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM) for ten years, and he believes that they will continue with the same policy tomorrow in Brussels during a new round of talks with Belgrade, Dnevnik reported.

"Pristina will try to minimize the importance of the CSM. Starting from the name, the statute, the management team, to the authorities that this community has," Dacic told reporters after laying a wreath on Dimitrije Tucović's grave, in front of the SPS headquarters, on the occasion of May 1st, International Workers' Day.

He reminded that last week he had participated in a session of the United Nations Security Council, which discussed the CSM, among other things, and that a meeting of that organization had been held ten years ago on the same topic.

"Ten years ago, we heard the same thing. Everyone expressed enthusiasm that it was a historically significant act. Ten years have passed, and the Community of Serb Municipalities has not happened," Dacic said.

He emphasized that he believes that it is clear to everyone that Serbia firmly insists on the formation of the CSM and that it is the first step toward implementing what was agreed upon in Ohrid.

"In the implementation plan, there are only two things that are specifically mentioned at the beginning – the CSM and the Declaration on Missing Persons. These will be, as President Vucic told me, the main topics. Whether and at what pace all of this will go, it is really difficult to say at this moment. But that is of essential importance because, without the CSM, there will be no implementation of other parts of that agreement," Dacic said.

He added that "the prime minister of the temporary institutions of Pristina, Albin Kurti, creates new crises every day to divert attention to problems on the ground and so that it is 'concluded' that there are still no conditions for the formation of the CSM."

"They certainly expect to expel Serbs and that there is no need for the CSM. Serbia has a firm position. We will stand by our people in Kosovo and Metohija. Ahead of tomorrow's meeting, one thing is certain – Serbia will be constructive, and President Vucic is ready for that meeting," Dacic concluded.