Kourkoulas: Crimean crisis does not block Serbia

BELGRADE - Presiding member of the Council of Ministers of the EU Dimitris Kourkoulas has said that the Crimean crisis will not cause the EU to reconsider its decision concerning Kosovo.

The view of the EU members regarding Kosovo is well known, he told the daily Vecernje novosti, adding that he did not expect it to change as the result of the Ukrainian crisis, and that Greece's stand on the issue would always be based on international law.

Kourkoulas, who is also Greece's deputy foreign minister, believes that the Crimean crisis will not have a negative effect on the EU integration of Serbia and the rest of the Balkans.

Serbia achieved a great success by starting the accession talks with the EU in January, and the pace of the talks will depend greatly on Belgrade's ability to meet requirements, he stated. Greece has always been a loyal advocate of Serbia's EU integration and that will continue in future, he stressed.

According to Kourkoulas, Serbia should focus the most on continuing the necessary reforms, mostly because its people will benefit from that, he pointed out.

Belgrade has achieved impressive results in the talks with Pristina and the international community has acknowledged it, he noted.

The credit Serbia has earned must not be lost and the dialogue should continue, he concluded.
(tanjug.rs)
25/3/14