Pro-Western president Boris Tadic's re-election in Serbia's presidential elections was unanimously hailed around Europe on Monday, coupled with cautioning words about two issues confronting Belgrade - war crimes suspects and Kosovo's looming independence.
Pro-Western president Boris Tadic's re-election in Serbia's presidential elections was unanimously hailed around Europe on Monday, coupled with cautioning words about two issues confronting Belgrade - war crimes suspects and Kosovo's looming independence. EPA/KOCA SULEJMANOVIC
From the European Union in Brussels to several individual governments, the victory by Tadic over his nationalist opponent Tomislav Nikolic met with a general sigh of relief.
Tadic ran a strongly pro-European campaign in spite of doubts instilled by Nikolic and conservative President Vojislav Kostunica with the looming secession of Kosovo.
In Ljubljana, Slovenia in its role as EU president welcomed Tadic's re-election but reminded Belgrade that progress toward EU membership would first come after the arrest of all war crime suspects.
Serbia and EU had initialled a Stabilization and Association Agreement last year, but its signing was blocked by the Netherlands over Serbia's failure to arrest war crime suspects.
The EU presidency encouraged Belgrade 'to implement ... reforms necessary for advancing the Stabilisation and Association process,' a major and formal step towards EU membership.
'The EU wishes to deepen its relationship with Serbia and to accelerate its progress towards the EU, including candidate status,' the EU presidency said.
But it also warned of the 'key importance of achieving full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague.'
For that, Serbia needs to arrest the remaining four war crime suspects at large, most of all the Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic.
Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa congratulated Tadic and said the election 'reflected ... Serbia's determination' to remain on course toward membership of the EU.
In Brussels, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso sent a message to Tadic congratulating him on his re-election and hailing the result as 'a victory for democracy in Serbia and for the European Values we share.'
'Your victory comes at a critical moment for Serbia and for the Western Balkans. I am confident that Serbia will continue to play a constructive role in facing up to current challenges and in ensuring stability in the region,' Barroso's message said.
He pledged to help accelerate Serbia's progress in ties with the EU, including signing the EU's proposed political cooperation agreement to enhance political dialogue, free trade, visa liberalisation and educational cooperation.
Barroso said that among the 'conditions' for the EU's signature to the agreement is 'notably full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia' - a reference to the issue of handing over war crimses suspects.
EU chief foreign affairs representative Javier Solana also congratulated Tadic: 'I see the result as a strong signal that the wish of the majority of the people of Serbia is to continue the path towards Europe and I would like to say that Europe is very happy about that.'
In Germany, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he was 'extraordinarily pleased' with Tadic's win and predicted the Serbian leader would 'approach rationally' the upcoming decisions on Kovovo - 'though this does not mean the situation has gotten any easier.'
In Prague, Czech Foreign Minister Karl Schwarzenberg hailed Tadic's win: 'President Tadic guarantees further democratic direction of the Serbian nation, which demonstrated its intention to set out on a European course.'
The Czech Republic, which is to preside over the European Union in the fist half of 2009, is 'a significant champion' of Tadic-led Serbia's 'European future.'
Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik praised the re-election of Tadic as a decision to keep moving towards the EU. 'The people of Serbia have given a European vote of confidence,' Plassnik said in a statement from Beirut, one station of her current Mideast tour.
Scandinavian countries also were unanimous in hailing Tadic's re- election.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said the result 'demonstrates that Serbs have chosen cooperation rather than isolation, which bodes well for Serbia's further development.'
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said the result was 'good for Serbia and the whole region,' adding that while 'the political struggle for the country's future path has not been definitely settled, the attempts to guide Serbia into a cul-de-sac seem to have failed.'
Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moller said 'The Serb voters are to be congratulated for this election result, which is good news for Serbia's European prospects, but also likely good news for the EU and all of Europe.'
In Sofia, Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said Tadic's win over Nikolic was an 'important signal of the continued, predictable' path of Serbia toward its European future.
In Moscow, Russian politicians Monday generally welcomed Tadic's re-election, mixed with words of caution that the victory was not automatically a win for the West.
The head of Russia's Foreign Affairs Committee Konstantine Kosachyov said Tadic had proven himself a good partner to Russia, pointing to new deals signed with Russian energy giant Gazprom on the eve of the vote.
'Tadic is an absolutely predictable, promising and constructive partner,' Kosachyeov said.
His win was seen as a public vote of support for Serbia's closer relations with the European Union. But Kosachyov said it was 'simplistic and artificial' to view Tadic as the candidate of the West and Nikolic as Russia's ally.
'Both politicians have always been patriotic and have stood up for the interests of the Serbian nation,' said Kosachyov, stressing that their interests coincided on the tense issue of Kosovo.
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