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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia committed to meeting obligations on road to EU

Belgrade, 7 February 2018

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic assessed that the Agreement on Sectoral Budget Support for Serbia worth €28 million that was signed today is an indication of partnership with the EU, not only in political terms, but also in other segments of development , such as social and economic.

At a press conference attended by European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Johannes Hahn, Brnabic stressed that this is the third signed contract, and reminded that the first contract, related to the public administration reform, amounted to €80 million, while the second one concerning direct support to education was in the amount of €27 million.

Speaking about EU Strategy for the countries of the Western Balkans, the Prime Minister stressed that this document represents a great opportunity for Serbia.

We understood that there were no guarantees, we understood what the focus is, what our obligations are and what we should do. In the upcoming period, the government will continue to work on all the things that we need to implement in order to take advantage of the opportunity ahead, said the Prime Minister.

She added that important tasks and challenges are ahead of Serbia and pointed out that there is complete commitment of the government to do what it needs in order for Serbia to join the EU, adding that the EU is our strategic goal, a top priority and a national interest.

European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Johannes Hahn said that joining the EU is not just a matter for the Serbian government, but for the entire nation and that it should unite all parts of society.

It should be a national goal that will bring everyone together to the ultimate destiny, Hahn pointed out.

He said that in this sense, the two signed agreements today only further reinforce Serbia's path to the EU.

Speaking about the signed agreements, the European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Commissioner said one of them refers to border management in the amount of €28 million, while the other relates to assistance in the migrant crisis and is worth €16 million.

We had a large migrant wave, it is now over, but we need to help countries that have been hit by an unprecedented number of migrants, explained the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement.

Hahn added that since 2007, the EU has given Serbia more than €2 billion in grants and noted that the EU is the largest donor in Serbia.

He pointed out that the European Commission's Enlargement Strategy adopted yesterday in the Western Balkans mentions the year 2025 as the indicative date for Serbia's accession to the EU, but it should be seen as a date that is feasible and at the same time ambitious.

It depends on Serbia at what speed it will meet the familiar conditions. We are sure that the state authorities are fully committed to this, he said.

Speaking about the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, the European Neighbourhood Policy and Extension Commissioner estimated that this is a difficult and intensive process that involves intensive contacts and negotiations, but that its goal is normalisation of relations.

I would not prejudge the outcome of this dialogue, it is early to say that normalisation will materialise, but it is important that this becomes a legally binding agreement, said the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement.

The press conference was preceded by the signing of two documents: the Financing Agreement on Sector-Budget Support for Integrated Border Management, i.e., the EU-Serbia Grant Agreement on Assistance in Addressing the Migration Crisis (MADAD 2).

These documents was signed by Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic and Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs Zoran Djordjevic with Director for the Western Balkans at the Directorate-General for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations of the European Commission Genoveva Ruiz Calavera.