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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia’s European future a reality

Belgrade, 1 December 2007

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said today in an interview for the daily Blic that signing of the agreement on use of EU funds worth €1 billion from the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) confirms that the European future of Serbia is a reality.

The Serbian government’s official website presents excerpts of the interview.

What is the importance of this agreement for Serbia?

Let us say that €10 million will be set aside for improving the work of medical emergency services, not just for ambulances but for the entire system. We will have €2.5 million for establishing an anticorruption agency, €2 million for training judges and €40 million for regional development, a series of infrastructure projects.

Construction of Horgos-Pozega highway:

We really need that highway, but we must also examine Vojvodina’s demand for compensating damages. We will soon have a meeting with Vojvodina’s executive authorities regarding this matter. The question of the concessioner providing unconditional guarantees, envisaged by the agreement, which allows the Serbian government right to payment of that guarantee in the amount of €10 million, in case financial deals are not concluded by March 31, 2008, is also of great importance.

Did they fulfill the condition?

We insisted that this matter be resolved according to the agreement, and yesterday the unconditional guarantee arrived.

Signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU:

I will hold talks with EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn in Brussels on Monday. Technically we are ready, translation into 21 languages is complete and now verification by a legal team is awaited. In a technical sense the EU will be ready to sign the agreement with us in January. I believe that this will happen.

Cooperation with the Hague tribunal:

Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte will arrive in Belgrade on Monday, and I will have a meeting with her on Tuesday in Brussels at a gathering. We expect that she will take note of the actual situation and she will give Serbia a positive assessment regarding cooperation.