President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Cedomir Jovanovic said Friday Serbia's European future and modernization were not owned by politicians and that they, including President Boris Tadic, could not decide on their own to drop the EU membership application, since that was up to the people.

The people have been aware for a while now that the policy of fighting for both Kosovo and the EU is a self-delusion that is going to drive Serbia into a corner sooner or later, Jovanovic said in a media statement.

Those who have always been against Serbia's EU membership saw their opportunity in the chaos that broke out in northern Kosovo a month ago, and it would be a victory for them if the country gave up on EU integration now, he noted, adding that they were also close to victory when they attacked and set fire to western embassies in February 2008 claiming they defended Kosovo.

The LDP leader thinks it is in Serbia's interest to resolve the issues regarding the flow of merchandise, adding that Serbian companies should not be ruined by EUR 350 million in losses.

Some of the so called parallel institutions are simply an expenditure for Serbia, and there are some that are fictional or simply serve for political and financial abuse, Jovanovic stated.

The Kosovo Serbs need hospitals and schools, and not fictional officials, he added.

Tadic told Tanjug on Thursday that Serbia might not get the EU candidate status and the start date for the accession talks by the end of the year, but that he could still not agree to dismantle the Serbian government institutions in northern Kosovo.