Keepin touch

Whether you have a question, comment, suggestion or any problem in the purview of the government, send us your message and we will try to respond as soon as possible. If your problem is not in our purview, we will forward your message to the relevant institution.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Great Britain supports Serbia-Montenegro’s European plans

Belgrade/London, 14 June 2005

After his two-day visit to London, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub Labus stated that Great Britain supports Serbia-Montenegro’s European integration plans and EU membership.

Miroljub Labus

At a press conference held at the Serbia-Montenegrin Embassy in London, Labus said that authorities in Belgrade are ready for negotiations on further European integrations and the Agreement on Stabilisation and Association with the EU, which should begin in October.

Belgrade’s position will not change even if those negotiations are postponed by a month, assessed the Deputy Prime Minister.

Labus met yesterday with British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and Minister of State for Europe Douglas Alexander.

After talks with Labus, Minister Alexander’s cabinet reaffirmed Britain’s support to Serbia-Montenegro’s EU ambitions.

Official London hopes that talks on the Agreement on Stabilisation and Association would begin in the second half of this year, when Britain is to take over the EU chair, however much still depends on Belgrade’s full cooperation with the war crimes tribunal in The Hague.

Minister Alexander stressed that the forthcoming anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre brings up past horrors, but also sheds light on progress made in the past few years by countries of the region and Serbia-Montenegro.

The time has come for all countries of the region to come to terms with the past and turn to the future, he underlined, adding that the arrest of Hague indictees, above all Radovan Karadzic, Ratko Mladic and Ante Gotovina is a key step.

Labus said that the government in Belgrade is absolutely determined to fulfil all obligations towards the tribunal, adding that this is no longer a political but a technical issue.

As regards to economic relations of Serbia and Great Britain, Labus said that British companies and banks are interested in investing in infrastructure, such as roads and water supply systems, telecommunication networks, the energy system and a planned oil pipeline from Romania through Pancevo to Rijeka, Croatia. Serbia needs a stronger presence of British companies, Labus said.

The Serbian Deputy Prime Minister will hold a press conference today, June 15, at 2pm, at the Serbian government building, where he will talk about his official visit to Great Britain.