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| ROMANIAN-SERB RELATIONS 30/01/2008 |
| (2008-01-30) |
| Last updated: 2008-01-31 15:59 EET |
Romania’s president Traian Basescu on Tuesday paid a visit to neighboring Serbia at a crucial time for the future of this country and of the whole region. In just a few days’ time, Serb voters are called to the polls in the second ballot of the presidential election to choose between the incumbent pro-western president Boris Radici and the pro-Russian ultranationalist Tomislav Nicolici. It’s a hard choice to make, as the Serbs are divided in two sides: the moderate pro-Europeans who are nonetheless opposed to the European Union’s view on Kosovo’s independence, and the ultranationalists who feel blackmailed and humiliated by the Union. Basescu stated that Serbia belongs in the European Union and that they should decide between the European community and other political alternative. He urged the Serbs to vote with their face turned to the EU, adding that its entry into the European Union has been Romania’s greatest achievement since World War Two.
Basescu went on to enumerate some of the advantages of joining the EU, such as the free movement of people, the possibility to work freely in any country in the Union, non-reimbursable community funds, and enormous foreign investments. The Bucharest media was keen to point out the international context underlying Basescu’s visit, and the traditional friendship between Bucharest and Belgrade. “An election of European importance”, headlines the daily Evenimentul Zilei, writing that Basescu’s visit takes place at a sensitive moment, when the Serbs, for whom the loss of Kosovo seems unavoidable, have to elect not only a new president, but also to choose between joining the EU, which supports Kosovo’s independence alongside the US, and strengthening the relationship with Russia, which is opposed to the province’s independence.
“Basescu beckons the Serbs into Europe”, headlines the daily Evenimentul Zilei, adding that the Romanian president posed as a messenger of the European Union and sent a message of support for the current Serb head of state, Boris Tadici. “Basescu and Tadici together for Kosovo”, writes the daily Ziua, which carries a statement by the Romanian president, according to which Romania asks nothing of Serbia in exchange for the support given in the Kosovo matter. After talks with his counterpart in Belgrade, Boris Tadici, Basesescu said:
“I would like you to know that Romania wants nothing in return for its stand on Kosovo and the support it gives Serbia in any circumstances. We only wish that a people who is our friend and neighbour, and whom we respect, will be on its final course to Europe, of which it is a part, and nobody can question the Serbs’ right to belong to a united Europe.”
Tadici thanked Romania for supporting Serbia’s territorial integrity. Under the headline “He rescued the Serbs’ fleet”, the daily Cotidianul writes that Basescu received a painting from the representatives of the Serb airliner JAT in recognition of its contribution to rescuing the Serbian civilian fleet in 1999. As acting Transport Minister at the time, Basescu approved the landing on a Bucharest airport of 7 civilian JAT airplanes which could have been destroyed in NATO’s bombardment on the former Yugoslavia.
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