New Kosova Report

Serb PM resigns

Saturday, 08 March 2008

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica

BELGRADE - Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica resigned on Saturday, announcing the end of a governing coalition too divided over Kosovo to carry on. "This is the end of the government," Kostunica told a news conference. "I have called a government session on March 10 to discuss dissolution of parliament."

If adopted, Serbia would hold an early parliamentary election in May to decide a fundamental question -- can it continue seeking membership of the European Union now that the EU has recognized the independence of the southern province?

Dissolution was the best course for "a government that is not working," Kostunica said. The election would most likely take place on May 11, the date set for local elections in Serbia.

Kostunica gave no clue to whether his small nationalist party would now seek an alliance with the hardline nationalist Radical Party -- Serbia's biggest -- and the Socialists of the late autocrat Slobodan Milosevic.

Such a coalition would be likely to adopt an unyielding position on Kosovo, possibly shutting down Serbia's bid for EU membership in favor of closer ties with Russia, which has backed Kostunica's stance on Kosovo.

Kostunica has indirectly accused his pro-Western coalition partners of giving up defending Serbia's claim to Kosovo in favor of better ties with the West, which backs Kosovo's secession.

He said part of the coalition wanted Serbia to be a member of the European Union only if the independence of Kosovo, which two-thirds of EU members have recognized, is revoked, while a majority did not want EU membership linked to Kosovo.

His decision to end the government puts him in direct conflict with Serbia's pro-Western president, Boris Tadic, and his party, who formed the backbone of the coalition which came to power 10 months ago.

Kostunica's Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) says it will support a Serbian Radical Party (SRS) resolution in parliament, calling on the European Union to "clearly and unambiguously" confirm Serbia's territorial integrity, as a condition for further European integration.

Tadic's Democratic Party and its liberal G17 Plus partner opposed the resolution in cabinet earlier this week and defeated it two-to-one.

The pro-EU parties say the resolution will not bring back Kosovo -- whose Albanian majority declared independence on February 17 with Western backing -- but put a halt to Serbia's bid to join the European Union, which is their key policy aim.

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Blerina said:

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Can you imagine this man in the latest rally how brave he was, pushing the others to go and fight for Kosovo.....how rabbit he was yestarerday in an exraordinary press conference . What cause such a change it was only then when serb common people arganised in an association "Europe has no Alternative" just try to get near his home, his family and kids, radical Kostunica was feared to death even government let fall down but saving my life and life of my family is more of a need (imagine is this one the one that has triggered the young boy be burnt within the premisses of the embassy) you see how selfish and fearfull they are Serbian Natioanlis better to say cowards

March 09, 2008
Votes: +0

roberto said:

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they used to call kostunica "milosevic with gloves" but now i just say "milosevic #2". of course this does not tell the whole story -- milosevic was first and foremost an opportunist and sociopath, whereas i think kostunica is a true-blue nationalist and ... opportunist. but in the end, it is all the same. thank god! that nato/eu is in the neighborhood, and that this is not the 90s, or we would again be in very serious trouble! as it is, the ensuing war is "cold" and let's hope things mellow.

i would like to add: just today i discovered your site (from a close kosovar/albanian friend), and i'm quite excited. i'm sort of a refugee from b-92; that is, i've been visiting that site and commenting there for the last few years. in many ways it is a strong and progressive news site, but in other respects i find the staff there to sometimes be quite slanted, anti-democratic, and heavy-handed with political censorship. all of which i never had expected. it looks like this site is more open and also not slanted towards (serb) nationalist opinions, though still open to different points of view.

also, congratulations on our/your new state, the republic of kosova. i feel like i've put in much sweat and tears, though compared to many of you i'm a mere outsider. i wish the new state all the best in its efforts to be truly multi-ethnic, anti-corruption, pro-democratic, pro-human rights, and generally prosperous. i do believe that people of many differing ethnicities can co-exist and even thrive, as we do or at least TRY to do here (in california)> i am also a minority -- jewish -- and we have known great oppression. Genocide. my own family lost nearly 100 people (civilians) to the nazis in poland. so we have a vey basic, visceral understanding of genocide, and the absolute need to combat it. i will never forget the horror and rage i felt at the images from 1999, though i understand now that that was a mere snapshot. so much blood spilt, so much horror, so many unanswered questions, still-missing persons... i will stop for the moment, and apologize for the length of this post, budding with the excitement of a "new-borned" webvehicle, a new born land.

greetings from san francisco, roberto

March 09, 2008
Votes: -1

Leka said:

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I am very saddened to hear that a close mind ness still generates within Serbs. Koshtunica is a cancer for Serbs just like Serbian Radical Party. I do believe that his resignation is a good thing for the Serbia. Hopefully, Serbian people can come to their senses and move on with their lives, for economic prosperity and join EU.

Any modern citizen of XXI century realizes that there are consequences for genocide. The genocide that Serbs did in Kosovo through out centuries, especially 1990's, against Albanians, Turks and Roms is something that every Serbs should be ashamed off and not take pride for it.

Serbs, Kosovo is gone and is moving forward. So, for you it’s too late to cry about it. In my opinion, every Serb should recognize their new neighbors and leave that dark history behind them while showing some maturity to the world just like Germans did during WWII for their just cause genocide to the Jews.

Long live