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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia enters new stage in its relations with Europe

Belgrade, 3 October 2005

On the occasion of the EU Council of Ministers’ decision to start negotiations on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia-Montenegro, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said that the Serbian government has achieved its most important and most pressing goal, namely Serbia’s EU integration, adding that full EU membership is the only way Serbia and its people will make progress.

Vojislav Kostunica addresses the media during today's press conference

The Serbian government’s official website gives the Prime Minister’s statement in full.

“Today, on October 3, the EU Council of Ministers has made a decision of the greatest significance for our country, to start talks on the conclusion of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement. Therefore, with great and true pleasure I would like to inform our citizens that the Serbian government has attained its most important and pressing goal, that of Serbia’s EU integration. Credits for this truly huge success do not go only to the Serbian government but to all citizens as well.

When the EU Council of Ministers approved the positive Feasibility Study on April 25 this year, top EU bodies forecast that the talks on the SAA will begin this October. As we can all see, our partner in this great undertaking, the EU, and we as a state union, hold firm to this schedule. Since the relations between the state union and the EU have been taking a constant upturn, it is now of greatest importance for us to complete the talks and conclude the SAA as soon as possible, so that next year Serbia-Montenegro could practically become an EU associate country. At this point, this is the most objective acknowledgement of reforms that have been implemented in our country and also the greatest impetus for us to continue the internal ordering of the state. I am aware of the hardships the citizens have been going through all these years, and of the fact that we all want concrete results. Now, after all that has been done, I can say with certainty that today, having received significant political recognition, our country is entering a new stage in its relations with Europe, which will inevitably and noticeably help to improve the living standards of citizens.

Though we feel satisfied with a reason, we must nevertheless keep in mind the obligations that await us on the road to Serbia-Montenegro’s EU integration, and these are primarily the harmonisation of our law with EU regulations, continuation of the strengthening and modernising of the government administration throughout the country, implementation of the Constitutional Charter and full cooperation with the Tribunal in The Hague. Having been given the consent for the commencement of talks on the SAA we have actually received a confirmation that the Serbian government’s strategy is the right one. Serbia is firmly moving towards a free market economy, stable democracy and the rule of law, and this direction will be in closest connection with a wider policy of EU integrations and under the auspices of contractual cooperation with such an important partner as the EU.

Today’s decision by the EU Council of Ministers proves that European institutions have faith in our country’s capability to simultaneously implement internal reforms and be a guarantee of peace and stability in the region. We are therefore certain that our advancement in this process will put an end to the uncertainties we have faced in the nearest past. First and foremost, these are uncertainties about the state borders, which have been pulling the entire region backwards for more than a decade. The European policy implies integration and not disintegration, new divides and fragmentations of territory. The Serbian government sees today’s decision of the EU Council of Ministers as an ideal opportunity for a general gathering concerning this most important development project for our state.

The message that the Serbian government today gathers from the EU’s clearly stated good will is: we must not let this actual and feasible opportunity slip past, because it both deserves and demands the greatest joint efforts of the entire society. The time has come for all of us to gather and jointly endorse our country’s strategic aim to become a full EU member state. The Serbian government sees this as the only way our country and people will make progress”, the Serbian Prime Minister said.