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Citizens favour Serbia’s membership in EU
Belgrade,
6 November 2006
Director of the Serbian government’s EU Integration Office Tanja Miscevic said today that if there was a referendum on Serbian membership of the EU, 69.9% citizens of Serbia would vote in favour.
Tanja Miscevic
Miscevic told a press conference that the support of Serbian citizens to the country’s European integration has grown from last year’s 64% to 69.9%.
She said that there are a stable percentage of citizens opposing Serbian EU membership totaling 12.3%.
The survey was carried out from September 26 to 30 throughout the territory of Serbia on 1,052 citizens older than 18
More than 39% of respondents are positive toward the EU whereas the number of those who are negative about it stands at 22%, Miscevic said.
She added that 38.5% of respondents are undecided which is probably due to stoppage of negotiations on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA).
Speaking on what it means to be an EU citizen for Serbs, Miscevic said that respondents thought it mainly concerned the right to work, study and permanent residence in EU countries.
According to her, 42.6% of Serbs feel like Europeans, whereas 37% do not. Only 38% of females and 47% of males feel like Europeans, she noted.
Miscevic was surprised that as many as 49.7% of the Serbian population are not ready to get additional training, prequalification and professional advancement.
Citizens in Serbia are less aware of what is going on in the EU than before, as there are 41% of citizens who are unaware while 32% are disinterested.
There are 21% of Serbian citizens who travelled abroad during the past year, with Greece as the top destination of all Schengen countries, she noted.
The most frequent destinations abroad for Serbian citizens during the past year include Montenegro and neighbouring countries that do not require a visa or offer eased visa arrangements.
Asked whether they know that “cooperation with the Hague tribunal is a precondition for continuation of negotiations”, 50% of Serbian citizens responded yes, Miscevic said and added that when others got an explanation of what this cooperation meant, 25% of them said it is necessary to establish it.
According to Miscevic, there is a positive attitude toward the EU in Serbia, but citizens’ awareness is insufficient.
It is necessary to realise that this process is about internal reform, that is, Serbia’s Europeisation, she explained.
She said that there are a stable percentage of citizens opposing Serbian EU membership totaling 12.3%.
The survey was carried out from September 26 to 30 throughout the territory of Serbia on 1,052 citizens older than 18
More than 39% of respondents are positive toward the EU whereas the number of those who are negative about it stands at 22%, Miscevic said.
She added that 38.5% of respondents are undecided which is probably due to stoppage of negotiations on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA).
Speaking on what it means to be an EU citizen for Serbs, Miscevic said that respondents thought it mainly concerned the right to work, study and permanent residence in EU countries.
According to her, 42.6% of Serbs feel like Europeans, whereas 37% do not. Only 38% of females and 47% of males feel like Europeans, she noted.
Miscevic was surprised that as many as 49.7% of the Serbian population are not ready to get additional training, prequalification and professional advancement.
Citizens in Serbia are less aware of what is going on in the EU than before, as there are 41% of citizens who are unaware while 32% are disinterested.
There are 21% of Serbian citizens who travelled abroad during the past year, with Greece as the top destination of all Schengen countries, she noted.
The most frequent destinations abroad for Serbian citizens during the past year include Montenegro and neighbouring countries that do not require a visa or offer eased visa arrangements.
Asked whether they know that “cooperation with the Hague tribunal is a precondition for continuation of negotiations”, 50% of Serbian citizens responded yes, Miscevic said and added that when others got an explanation of what this cooperation meant, 25% of them said it is necessary to establish it.
According to Miscevic, there is a positive attitude toward the EU in Serbia, but citizens’ awareness is insufficient.
It is necessary to realise that this process is about internal reform, that is, Serbia’s Europeisation, she explained.
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