Fajon: Dacic Requested My Exemption from Inter-Party Dialogue

Tanja Fajon (Photo: STA / Bor Slana)

Tanja Fajon, a member of the European Parliament, has confirmed that official Belgrade has requested her exemption from the inter-party dialogue, saying it is unacceptable for Brussels as the EU has clear representation rules.

Fajon told Nova S TV that more details about the resumption of the dialogue would be known on Jan. 28, after talks between Serbian parliament speaker Ivica Dacic and EU representative David McAllister.

“I did not hear this from President (Aleksandar) Vucic, but McAllister has told me about his meeting with Dacic, who requested my exemption from the dialogue. It is unacceptable for us as the EU and the European Parliament have internal rules on representation,” she said.

Fajon, the chair of the European Parliament Delegation to EU-Serbia Stabilization and Association Parliamentary Committee, recalled that the EU had not set any conditions in relation to who from Serbia should be sitting at the negotiating table.

Asked why her participation was an issue for the Serbian authorities, Fajon replied that she was not aware of any concrete reason. “Possibly, because I am a Social Democrat, possibly because I have criticized, using arguments, some things in Serbia. Maybe, some think that I represent some part of the opposition. I am sorry that my statements have been understood in Serbia that way, but I am simply used to the fact that politicians use my name in different ways. That seems to be a part of political culture in Serbia, but not only there, here in Slovenia as well,” Fajon noted.