Keepin touch

Whether you have a question, comment, suggestion or any problem falling within the competence of the Government, send us your message and we will try to respond as soon as possible. If your problem does not fall within our competence, we will forward your message to the competent institution.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Joksimovic, Schieb: Rule of law, dialogue crucial criteria for progress on EU path

Belgrade, 30 September 2020

Minister for European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic met today with Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Belgrade Thomas Schieb, with whom she discussed the process of Serbia's accession to the European Union in the context of the current German EU Presidency and the further improving of bilateral relations.

Joksimovic pointed out that Serbia, in addition to the five chapters ready for opening, has fulfilled a number of activities in the previous period, such as revising action plans for key chapters 23 and 24, adopting a Media Strategy in January and drafting an Action Plan for its implementation in May, and the coming into force of the Law on Prevention of Corruption on 1 September.

She highlighted the importance of the European Commission Progress Report, which is announced for the beginning of October, for which she expressed confidence that it will be realistically conceived and that it will take into account everything that has been achieved in the reform process in the previous year.

The Minister said that we will also carefully consider and adopt additional recommendations, according to which the future government will conceptualise its activities in the negotiations on EU membership, especially in key areas of the rule of law, judicial reform and the fight against corruption, because our citizens expect it.

Ambassador Schieb confirmed Germany's commitment during its presidency of the Council of the European Union for the process of European integration of the region, and said that Germany remains a strong advocate of cooperation and reconciliation policy in the Western Balkans and supports Serbia on its path to EU membership.

As he said, Germany, as the presiding country of the Union, monitors the implementation of all reforms in the areas important for Serbia's European path, and, as before, based on the assessments from the Progress Report on reforms in the field of rule of law, a decision will be made on opening new chapters.

The ambassador voiced hope that the formation of a new government will contribute to accelerating the dynamics in the implementation of reforms within the European integration process.

The two officials also discussed the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, the two-decade-long development cooperation between Germany and Serbia, as well as the results of projects financed from German development aid to Serbia, in the amount of about €2 billion.