Serbian Deputy Prime Minister for European Integrations Bozidar Djelic has stated that one should not expect Serbia's application for its membership in the European Union to be discussed in September but by the end of the year, because some influential EU countries are using it to impose pressure ahead of the debate on Kosovo at the United Nations General Assembly.

"A small number of influential EU member states have decided to use our candidacy application as a kind of means to impose pressure on Serbia ahead and during the debate on Kosovo at the United Nations General Assembly," Djelic said in a statement published by Politika on Monday.

That is why, Djelic said, one should not expect Serbia's application for the EU membership to be discussed in September, but that "it is more realistic to take place by the end of the year."

He said that some countries had started tying the process of European integrations and a resolution of the Kosovo issue.

"Such a policy on us is wrong, because it may slow down the process of European integrations and destabilize the region as a whole, not only Serbia," said Djelic, adding that Serbia's stand remains unchanged - we shall never recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and we shall never give up the idea of joining the EU.

Djelic recalled that there is no consensus within the EU on the status of Kosovo and that five member-states do not intend to recognize Kosovo, "not even after the ICJ opinion and various pressures".