Vucic: We are waiting for the CSM to be formed, and then we will continue the talks

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, stated tonight that the Brussels Agreement nowhere implied an independent Kosovo, unlike the European proposal, which, he said, he had not even signed for that reason and added that the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities had to be formed in order for the talks to continue.

Vucic stated on RTS that he agreed with the EU special envoy for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Miroslav Lajcak, that the European proposal included de facto recognition of Kosovo.

"Kosovo is not independent even according to this proposal, but essentially yes, it implies. I agree that it is a de facto recognition, Lajcak said that and he is right, that's why I didn't sign," Vucic said.

The president points out that the CSM is nowhere on the road map because Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti did not accept it and emphasizes that it must be in the number one position.

"I don't know which way to go if we haven't passed the first step, we can jump to the second, but I'm too old to jump. We're waiting for the CSM to be formed and then we'll continue the talks," he emphasized.

Vucic reminds that there are four agreements for the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities, one is basic, the second is the scope and mandate of the management team, the third is the implementation plan of the agreement and the fourth is the agreement on principles.

"What is important for us, apart from our competencies, which are the strengthening of local democracy, carrying out supervision over the development of the local economy, education, health and social care, urban and rural planning, living conditions for returnees in Kosovo; it can promote and advocate for common interests of the CSM members and represents them in front of the central authorities in Pristina," he said.

He added that the CSM performed public services, and numerous communal activities, monitored the realization of its goals, created other associations and cooperated with other organizations, consisting of the Assembly, the president, the board, and the administration, and they dealt with all this and had the right to own their movable and immovable property, to have their own companies that carried out important communal services, they would have their own budget, their symbols, coat of arms, flag...

"Within the principle, item 16, there is something that is of crucial importance for us, and it is about the fact that the CSM is financed through contributions, non-repayable loans, donations, and financial support from other international organizations, as well as from the Republic of Serbia in the implementation of its goals. That is important because if you have someone like today who is going to say that we should cancel payment transactions with Serbia, how are we going to pay salaries, pensions, how are we going to pay doctors," he stated.

The president adds that we have the right forever and ever to pay money to the CSM, and then Serbia will transfer the money, and no one can ever dispute that.

He pointed out that the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities was important for the north of Kosovo, but also for the six municipalities in the south.