Serbia press exposes rifts on EU

Serbian President Boris Tadic has faced criticism over the EU agreement

Whether a victory or a "betrayal of Serbia", Belgrade's pre-membership deal with the EU is revealed by Serbia's press as deeply divisive both for its political establishment and its people.

Most dailies focus on the divisions between pro-Western President Boris Tadic and his Prime Minister, Vojislav Kostunica, who has promised to have parliament annul the agreement at the first opportunity.

Division

"Agreement with EU signed, Serbia divided," says the top headline in the pro-government daily Politika.

"The signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU has caused divided reactions among the parties," the paper says, adding that that the deal looks set to make parliamentary elections in May "even more tense".

The respected evening tabloid Vecernje Novosti agrees, predicting that both the pro-Western and nationalist camps will try to make political capital out of the deal.

"It all depends on who will be more vocal in praising or attacking the agreement with the EU," the paper says.

"War over the SAA," the tabloid Press cries, summing up the two sides' diametrically opposed opinions of the deal as: "Victory for Serbia! The kiss of Judas!"

Some papers stress the reaction of supporters of the deal. "Serbia is a step closer to the EU" is the most prominent headline in the tabloid Blic.

The tabloid Alo! gives prominence to a picture of Serbs driving around central Belgrade waving flags with the "For a European Serbia" slogan of President Tadic's party.

"Citizens spontaneously gathered in the streets to celebrate the signing of the agreement," the paper commented.

"Betrayal"

Other papers highlight the anger of nationalist Serbs, who were infuriated by most EU member states' recognition of Kosovo's declaration of independence in February.

"Serbian pigs celebrate: They have given Kosovo away," the top-selling populist tabloid Kurir sneers in its front-page headline, acidly contrasting the EU members' stance on Kosovo with EU regulations requiring the humane treatment of pigs and cows - including the "2001 Pig Welfare Directive".

"Betrayal of Serbia" is the even more strident headline in the nationalist tabloid Pravda, while a commentator laments what he says is Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's failure to oppose the pro-European course of President Tadic.

"In addition to goodwill, one needs to have strength, courage and readiness to solve problems. Had Kostunica had that, Serbia would not have been in the dark today, without hope," the commentator laments.

Another commentator, in the nationalist daily Glas Javnosti, is also scathing about the deal.

"Signing the phoney SAA means giving up Kosovo," he fumes. "I would not wish to be blasphemous during this Easter holiday atmosphere, nor is this about the colouring of Easter eggs, [but] whoever signs this big multi-coloured lie deserves no better than getting pelted by uncoloured eggs in Belgrade".

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