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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia to submit EU accession request by end-June 2009

Prague/Belgrade, 23 January 2009

Deputy Prime Minister for EU Integration Bozidar Djelic stated today in Prague that Serbia plans to submit a EU accession request in the first half of 2009, during the Czech Republic’s presidency of the EU.

Djelic, who is on a working visit to the Czech Republic, said in a joint press conference with Czech Deputy Prime Minister for EU integration Alexander Vondra that Serbia will submit the EU membership request by the end of June.

He stated that Serbia is technically and administratively ready to enter the EU in 2012, as it will harmonise all regulations with those of the EU and will do everything possible to conclude any necassary cooperation with the Hague tribunal.

Serbia is to complete that task and its European partners should see that and unblock the Transitional Trade Agreement urgently, he said.

Djelic noted that, with Czech support, Serbia will start negotiations with the European Commision on macroeconomic assistance worth €400 million.

Together with our colleagues from the Western Balkans we will ask for additional EU support for energy safety and economic growth, he said.

We also discussed the Banatski Dvor gas storage facility, which requires an investment of €13 million, Djelic said.

Vondra said that Czech Republic welcomes Serbia’s application and as the EU’s presiding country also positively assesses all progress Serbia has made in cooperating with the Hague tribunal.

He also announced that his country will include the Balkans in the EU’s emergency aid for overcoming the global crisis, as well as funding for increasing energy efficiency.

The Czech Deputy Prime Minister stressed that the EU cannot leave the Balkans high and dry and will most certainly earmark a portion of funds to it. He explained that the Czech Republic has proposed a package of €3.5 billion to ensure energy safety and short and long-term measures.

There must be room for the Balkans in these plans, Vondra said, specifying that the Czech energy safety plan implies a north-to-south link between the oil and gas pipe lines, which would include the Balkans.

The plan also implies a diversification of energy sources, in which the Balkans can have a significant role because of the projected Nabuko and South Stream pipe lines.