Dacic: Pristina to continue to avoid establishment of Community

BELGRADE - Serbian FM Ivica Dacic said on Monday Pristina had been working for a decade on avoiding the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities and would continue that policy in the next round of the Brussels dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina on Tuesday.

"Pristina will try to minimise the significance of the Community of Serb Municipalities, from its name, statute and steering team to its powers," Dacic told reporters after laying a wreath at the grave of Serbian Socialist Dimitrije Tucovic on International Workers' Day on behalf of the Socialist Party of Serbia.

Dacic noted that he had last week attended a UN Security Council session that had addressed the Community of Serb Municipalities among other topics and that the UN body had also discussed the same subject ten years ago.

"We heard the same thing ten years ago. Everyone was delighted with that historic act. Ten years have passed and a Community of Serb Municipalities has not happened yet," Dacic said.

He said he believed it was clear to everyone that Serbia insisted on the Community being formed and that it was the first point of the Ohrid agreement.

He added that Pristina's PM Albin Kurti was generating crises on a daily basis to lead to a "conclusion" that the conditions for forming a Community were still not in place.

"Their (Pristina's) expectation is to expel the Serbs and that there will be no need for a Community of Serb Municipalities. Serbia has a firm position. We will stand with our people in Kosovo-Metohija. One thing is certain ahead of tomorrow's meeting - Serbia will be constructive and President Vucic is ready for that meeting," Dacic concluded.