Serbia will not give up Kosovo, which unilaterally proclaimed
independence in 2008, in exchange for membership of the European
Union, Serbian President Boris Tadic said, RIA Novosti reports.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Belgrade on August 23. She
offered reduction of Serbian parallel structures of power in Kosovo in
exchange for European integration.
Tadic explained that those structures are not parallel and are
considered legitimate by the Serbians. They were elected via vote. He
denied their connection with the criminals.
22 out of 27 EU members have recognized independence of Kosovo,
including candidates for the EU membership such as Iceland, Macedonia,
Turkey, Croatia and Montenegro. Experts say Serbia would not join the
EU without recognition of Kosovo.
