Fleckenstein: Opposition Saw Us as Its Advocates in Dialog, That Was Not Our Job

Knut Fleckenstein (YouTube screenshot)

European mediator in a dialogue between the authorities and opposition on electoral conditions, Knut Fleckenstein has said that a part of the opposition saw the European Parliament's representatives it as its advocates during the talks, but that this was not their job.

"Our task was to establish what we could reach an agreement on and arrive at some kind for framework for enhancing the electoral process through an assessment of the participants - what is alright, what is a step forward and what is unacceptable," Fleckenstein told the NIN magazine in an interview. He stressed that he understood the disappointment of those who thought that more could be done but that he did not believe that the EP's representatives were responsible for that because they were only mediators in the talks.

Asked whether he expected Germany to change its stance on Serbia after Greens leader Annalena Baerbock moved into office as foreign minister, given that former chancellor Angela Merkel "gave Vucic support," Fleckenstein said that the cordiality of final visits and official policy should not be mixed.

"Look at French President Emmanuel Macron he even learned a few words of Serbian, but that does not mean that France uncritically supports the authorities here. Official Belgrade hoped for Germany's support for opening negotiating chapters, but its was Berlin that was cautious," he added.