Serbia rejects EU-brokered deal on Kosovo

Protesters outside the Serb government building in Belgrade had called for the deal to be rejected

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Serbia has rejected a European Union-brokered deal on normalizing ties with its breakaway province of Kosovo.

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in 2008. While many countries recognize it as an independent country, Serbia does not.

The EU had given Serbia until Tuesday to relinquish its effective control over northern Kosovo in return for the start of EU membership talks.

Serbia must normalize relations with its neighbors before joining the EU.

Many minority ethnic Serbs in Kosovo reject the authority of the Kosovo government in Pristina.

'Regret'

Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic told reporters: "The government of Serbia cannot accept principles verbally presented to its negotiating team in Brussels, since they do not guarantee full security and protection of human rights to the Serb people in Kosovo."

Last week, an eighth round of EU-mediated talks between Serbia and Kosovo broke up without a deal on normalizing ties.

Catherine Ashton, the EU's top diplomat, said on Monday she regretted Serbia's rejection of the plan.

She said: "I believe that all the elements for an agreement on northern Kosovo are on the table. I regret the decision of the Serbian government to reject the proposals and call on them to make a last effort to reach an agreement, for the benefit of their people."

Serbia's Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic called for more talks with rival ethnic Albanians leaders of Kosovo - even though Baroness Ashton said after last week's failed talks that the EU's mediation bid had ended.

"If there is a negative answer from [the EU], that would be bad news for Serbia, Kosovo and the EU," said Mr Vucic. "If that happens, we would have to start thinking of what to do next.

"We don't want Serbia isolated from the world, but we have to protect our interests. It is highly important that we reach an agreement."

Tension between Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority and remaining ethnic Serbs has led to violence in recent years, notably around customs posts in northern Kosovo.

Source: Bbc.com

What is Source of Evil?

What is Source of Evil?

In Orthodox teaching we learn that all of Creation is good.  After each step of Creation, God said that everything is "very good." (Gen 1:31)  So what is the source of evil?


Here is how Elder Paisios explained it to a pilgrim.

Evil exists when we make wrong use of the things of God granted to us for our benefit.

It is not bad for someone to have money, but it is bad to be avaricious.  Drugs are not an evil thing, when used to relieve the pain of people who suffer.  They are bad when used for a different purpose.  A knife is a useful utensil, when we use it to cut bread.  However, when it is used to hit someone, it becomes a deadly weapon.  In this case, it is not the knife which is evil, but the inner disposition of the murderer.

Therefore, we must use everything in the right way, the natural way, not abuse them and go against nature.

Since we are weak by nature, when we are inclined to give in to a passion, we should try to avoid anything that makes us feel vulnerable.  We should also be aware that the reason we avoid the causes of our passions is not because they are evil themselves; but rather, because our ill inner disposition does not permit us to use them correctly.

Since we cannot benefit from them, it is better to avoid them, so they do not harm us.  At the same time, we should glorify God for His gifts, and blame ourselves for abusing them and thus provoking the evil.

Source: http://orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.com

“Lithuania won’t block Serbia’s EU pathway”

BELGRADE -- Lithuanian FM Linas Linkevičius told daily Večernje novosti that his country would not block Serbia’s EU accession despite “not the best of relations”.

Even if it gets a date for the start of the EU accession negotiations in June, Serbia will face an uncertain period in the integration process bearing in mind that Lithuania will take over the EU presidency in the second half of 2013, the daily writes.

Relations between Serbia and Lithuania have been tense since the election for the UN General Assembly president and unsuccessful privatization of the BIP brewery. 

Linkevičius admitted that the two countries’ relations were not at the best possible level but stressed that this should not halt Serbia’s progress in relations with Brussels. 

When asked whether Serbia would start the EU accession talks once Lithuania had taken over the EU presidency, he said: 

“We wish Serbia success. We support Euro-Atlantic integrations of all Western Balkan countries. We truly believe that this is the right direction. We will give Serbia support both bilaterally and as the EU presidency in the second half of the year. We will happy to do it.” 

When asked if Lithuania would soon ratify the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia, Linkevičius said that process was “underway”. 

“Our government has already given its consent. It is parliament’s turn now. I have spoken personally with leaders in parliament and they are planning on putting the issue on the agenda in accordance with the rules of procedure. They are not planning on artificially stopping the process,” he explained. 

When asked if he believed in true normalization of relations between Belgrade and Priština, he said that everybody was optimistic but that it was really hard. 

“I have visited the region many times and I know really well what the reality is like. And this should be taken into account. But I think it is time to solve the problem,” the Lithuanian FM said. 

When asked if Kosovo Serbs could at least get autonomy, he said that he was not in a position to say.

“Autonomy in principle is an issue of countries’ internal integrity and I think it is not a topic that should be solved at this meeting, among EU foreign ministers, or at any other forum. I would not speculate on it,” Linkevičius stressed. 

When asked whether he believed Serbia should recognize Kosovo’s independence, he said that it depended on Serbia. However, the Lithuanian minister said that it would be best if Serbia recognized it if it was a condition for the EU membership. 

“I said it would be better, not that a decision not to recognize it would be a definitive obstacle to the membership,” he told the daily, noting that it was his personal opinion.

Source: b92.net