Boris Tadic

'As the President of Serbia I am going to do things that I was talking about during my election campaign for the President of Serbia. One of the projects I intend to launch is peoples' office for help to people in need. I also want to support the project called 'Our Serbia' and within it I shall mostly deal with the problem of children who lost their parents in war'' Boris Tadic said for the Beograd – based 'Blic' daily in his first interview after election for the President of Serbia.

Miroljub Labus, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister yesterday said that reconstruction of the Government is ahead in the sense that Serbian majority government will be set up. Does this mean that your stance towards DS joining the Government has changed?

Nothing has changed in my stance and there is no reason that we talk about DS joining the Government. My basic political message is stability. Talks about reconstruction of the Government would cause instability in the country and tensions on the political scene. As regards Labus's statement, I supported the idea of the majority government at the time when it was being set up. The parties that formed the Government showed that they had not shared my opinion.

Earlier it was announced that four generals would be delivered to the Hague Tribunal immediately after presidential election. Are there any ongoing activities regarding that?

I know nothing about that nor did I have the time to deal with that problem. That is not in the competence of the President of Serbia. On the other hand, as the President I do not want to run away from responsibility when such difficult political issue is concerned. We must cooperate with the Hague Tribunal. The key problem is Ratko Mladic. This is problem that solves many other problems, including court trials before our courts. Delivery of Mladic is a key problem especially after brave and open claim that a crime was committed in Srebrenica. A person suspected for that crime has to go to The Hague.

The competent bodies claim that Mladic is not in the country. What proofs our country has to present to the international community to convince it in that?

Information I am getting from the police is that Mladic is not in the country. The world requests strong political action that would be a sufficient proof that we have done our utmost in trying to find out where he is.

Would you talk with somebody of the four generals about their voluntary turning in?

I am not running away from such talk. Every voluntary turning in would be a favor to this country. At the same time the tribunal in The Hague has to be an institution providing fair trials thus increasing its credibility.

Do you expect consensus of political parties regarding new constitution of Serbia?

I think that the work on new constitution should begin as urgent as possible. My suggestion to the Prime Minister was that all political parties should take part in that job. I believe that until the autumn we shall have the first draft. I also hope that we shall manage to achieve a political consensus of all political parties.

What are you going to do to speed up implementation of Government's plan for decentralization of Kosovo?

I shall certainly do everything to make that plan succeed. My job regarding that matter is of a foreign policy nature. We have to struggle for our national interests in Kosovo and Metohija. It is important that no negative comments have been given regarding that plan. There is very difficult discussion going on. However, it is the international community that decides about the time limit for settlement of Kosovo issue. Direct negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina cannot be avoided and these negotiations have to be held in circumstances that would guarantee successful outcome.

Would you talk with Albanian politicians about settlement of the problems in Kosovo?

There is not a single Albanian politician that I would not talk with. Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia and Montenegro and I want to go there and talks with the officials of UNMIK and KFOR. I shall request that such visit is organized.

How do you see the future of the state union of Serbia and Montenegro?

Some things are to be changed in the functioning of the state union However, some segments function well. I support the idea of the state union because there are economic and security reasons speaking in favor of such stance.

/Source: Blic/