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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

EU membership strategic commitment, priority of Serbia’s foreign policy

Belgrade, 27 April 2023

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic met today with representatives of the Working Party of the Council of the European Union on Enlargement and Countries Negotiating Accession to the EU (COELA).

Brnabic pointed out that membership in the EU is a strategic commitment and priority of Serbia's foreign policy, pointing out that the EU is the most important foreign trade partner with which we achieve two-thirds of the total merchandise exchange.

The Prime Minister told her interlocutors that Serbia is ready for the opening of Cluster 3 (Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth) and that the European Commission has already on two occasions called on the member states to support this step in the process of Serbia's pre-accession negotiations, but that it has not yet taken place.

She emphasised that Belgrade remains fully committed to the dialogue with Pristina, but that it insists on the implementation of all obligations from the agreements reached so far and reiterated that the implementation of the Brussels Agreement was guaranteed by the EU and that we have been waiting for the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities for more than 10 years.

The Prime Minister particularly emphasised that Pristina did not fulfil anything from the Brussels Agreement and that it is contradictory and unprincipled that it is now rewarded for that with support for starting the procedure of admission to the Council of Europe.

Belgrade opposes such development of events in the harshest terms, Brnabic added.

The Prime Minister underlined that Serbia is committed to cooperation in the field of foreign and security policy with the EU, while reminding the interlocutors that the Negotiating Framework entails that our country should gradually harmonise its policies until the moment of accession.

She also highlighted Serbia's commitment to good-neighbourly cooperation, which she considers necessary in the further development of our region, as well as the fact that the Open Balkans Initiative has been launched, which is inclusive in nature and is open to everyone in the region.

In that context, Brnabic emphasised the importance of regional cooperation and stability.

Also, the Prime Minister said that reforms in the area of the rule of law are a priority, that they will be strongly continued, and that in the previous period, progress was achieved in almost all areas covered by the rule of law, the reform process, the fight against corruption and organised crime, visa policy and in the field of the media.

On behalf of Sweden's presidency of the Working Party of the Council of the European Union on Enlargement and Countries Negotiating Accession to the EU based in Brussels, Suzana Lisik reaffirmed the EU's commitment to Serbia's perspective for membership in the European Union and recalled that the EU is the largest investor, donor and trade partner of Serbia.

The EU member states also recalled how important it is for Serbia to further accelerate and implement reforms in basic areas, such as the rule of law and basic human rights, the independence and functioning of the judiciary, freedom of expression, including freedom of the media and the fight against corruption and organised crime.