Brnabisic's tense interview for Kosovo: EU is not fed up with us

Serbia's prime minister, Ana Brnabiq, has said that with Kosovo, they want comprehensive agreements.

The nearest growth of possible EU membership for us is 2025. So I think there is the possibility that by 2025 we will sign a stable agreement for normalising reports with Pristina”, it has been expressed.

Deutsche Welle: One of the conditions for Serbia to membership in the European Union is the mandatory normalisation of reports with Kosovo, which you do not know. Negotiations are continuing from time to time, but sometimes they're breaking up. Why should the EU deal with these disputes? Aren't you a huge problem for the EU?

Anna Bernabiq: I think that as much of our interest in joining the EU is great, so is the EU's interest in enlargement in the Balkans. The EU is primarily a peaceful and successful project because for the first time in Europe we have a long-term peace.

Well that's your opinion, but the EU has clearly said it will not import new bilateral problems. Jean Claude Juncker said that last year. That's clear, right?

Brnabyq: Yeah, it's clear.

So it won't import your problem with Kosovo.

Brnabyq: This is absolutely clear...

If you don't solve this problem, you won't get into the EU, will you?

Brnabyq: ...this is for me normal. I think that's in the nature of work. If I were the EU I would ask the same thing.

But you won't agree quickly, you've already admitted. So you won't have any prospect of EU accession, in a quick future?

Brnabyq: Here I do not completely agree with you, because the closest term of possible EU membership for us is 2025. So I think there is the possibility that by 2025 we will sign a stable agreement for normalising reports with Pristina.

But right now, it doesn't look like that.

Brnabyq: I'm not saying this is gonna happen. I think Serbia is committed to this. That does not depend only on Serbia, it also depends on Pristina and our allies. So I think we're going towards the EU. It is important for me to implement all reforms in order for our society to be politically and economically mature for the EU.

So you say, but the EU is not satisfied with the reform situation, and we will talk about it a little later. Last week the EU...

Brnabyq: I wouldn't agree with you either. First of all... in the EU strategy, Serbia and Montenegro are listed as two leading countries. I would say that this is far from despair with the reforms we are implementing.

But the EU is slowly getting enough of you. At the Sofia Summit in May and later in London, it has become clear that there is a poor report on the six Balkan countries that want in the EU. It is not about membership terms, while the EU accession opposition is powerful, at the helm with French President Macro.

Brnabyq: Let me say: I think you have no right to say that the EU is full of us. This is not diplomatic. And I don't think you can say that on behalf of the EU.

Look what Macron said.

Brnabyq: Had the EU been fed up with us, new chapters would not be opened in negotiations. And we are constantly opening new chapters that mean the trend of walking towards the EU is continuing.

This is not in harmony with what President Macron says, who has said developments in the past 15 years have weakened the EU. I don't think candidate countries service them, but neither do we, with this rule-free mechanism, where they always go towards the biggest expansion”, Macron said. That doesn't sound like a welcome.

Brnabyq: I agree with President Macron 100%. I don't think expansions in the past have been particularly successful. I think...

And it doesn't seem to be successful in your case either.

Brnabyq: ...I think that's the result of such membership, because the countries that membership don't have a competitive economy, which applies to agriculture. They suffer the massive flight of educated people and thus weakens the entire EU.

Why aren't you raising the idea for membership? Stop taking money from EU funds, solve bilateral problems with Kosovo and all others...

Brnabyq: What funds? How do you think “will freeze”?

How much money do you get from the EU? Hundreds of millions...

Brnabyq: We take... much less than that. There are funds destined for candidate countries, which are much smaller than those of EU member states.

But the impression is that you only do that for money, right?

Brnabyq: This is completely false.

Your President Vuciq...

Brnabyq: Can I speak, or do you want to interview yourself? I want to say something... First of all, we have always told our citizens that the EU does not view it as a cash chest. The quality of life, jobs, and better salaries must come from ourselves, the power of our economy. We want to be part of the EU, because this is a peaceful project and we share the same values with the EU.

If that is true, why Vuciqi when he was prime minister has declared in Tirana: “is enough with seminars. We need money from EU funds. Then you'll see the smile on our faces.” This is a clear sign that he is interested only in money.

Brnabyq: I'd say you've made this statement completely out of context, if that's true. I don't remember such a statement.

It's true. They named your news agencies.

Brnabyq: If President Vuciq has said something, since he was a prime minister, it is that the EU is not just a cash chest. We need to take care of our economy, jobs, infrastructure. Serbia in the EU goes with another goal. Another issue is whether it will be ready to join the EU by 2025. If you ask me, like The EU says you can join tomorrow, I'd answer “not” because we're not ready! Otherwise, we would have a bad situation for Serbia and the EU. We are more interested in reform.

The prime minister, when it comes to Kosovo, you are raising the deck all the time. You say general agreement should be reached, including human rights, minority rights, economic co-operation, learning two languages, cultural heritage... So you recently declared an interview.

Brnabyq: Absolutely. But why is this “the building of the steka”? This is a comprehensive deal, what scale?

That's why it takes you a long time, at least 10 years. Why should the EU wait so long?

Brnabyq: Who is saying the EU will wait so long? If this lasts 20 years, it means we will not join the EU at all. No one says the EU should wait that long.