Keepin touch

Whether you have a question, comment, suggestion or any problem in the purview of the government, send us your message and we will try to respond as soon as possible. If your problem is not in our purview, we will forward your message to the relevant institution.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

61% of citizens supports Serbia’s EU path

Belgrade, 21 January 2009

The EU Integration Office Director Milica Delevic today stated that according to the opinion poll, 61 % of Serbian citizens support Serbia’s EU path.

Milica Delevic

At a press conference held at the government building, Delevic said that last May citizens mainly supported Serbia’s EU integration, but their expectations were high due to a large inflow of foreign investment at the time.

She noted that the EU integration process is supported in all countries in the region, except Croatia.

Croatia made progress on its EU road, but its citizens have realised that they have to change their habits, said Delevic.

Delevic added that Serbian citizens are not satisfied with Serbia’s progress in this respect.

She said the opinion poll clearly shows that citizens are very well aware that Serbia’s EU accession will be a long-lasting process, adding that 51% of citizens consider it the only way to secure a better future for the youth of Serbia.

According to the opinion poll, 49% of those polled said that the preconditions the EU is constantly imposing make Serbia’s path even more difficult, while 20% of respondents believe that Serbia’s authorities are guilty of very slow progress in this respect.

Delevic stressed that 86% of those polled said that cooperation with the Hague tribunal is the key condition for Serbia’s EU entry, while 47% deemed this condition acceptable.

She added that 62% believe that the EU is constantly imposing new conditions on Serbia.

She said that the citizens’ main wish is inclusion on the Schengen ‘white list’, although 83% of volunteers stated that in 2008 they did not travel to any country within the visa regime.

Delevic noted that for Serbian citizens the Schengen ‘white list’ is a “proof of acceptance and self-respect”, adding that young people in Serbia have a more positive stance towards the EU and specified that young people between 18 and 29 years of age expect to benefit the most from the EU integration process.