Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said today at a press conference held after the regional conference on the global financial crisis that participants at the conference have called on the EU to make 2009 the year of further EU integration for South Eastern European countries.
Q:
A:
South East Europe seeks quicker EU integration
Belgrade,
3 February 2009
Djelic said that South Eastern European countries called on the EU to support their progress in EU integration, to remove visa restrictions and to provide financial help for dealing with the global financial crisis.
He said that representatives of six Western Balkan countries made a joint statement at the conference, saying that a European future is guaranteed to all countries of the region.
He said that South Eastern European countries are not asking for collective EU accession, rather they want to establish that each country has its own separate process, adding that the EU has been urged this year to consider concluding accession negotiations with Croatia, beginning negotiations with Macedonia and to respond to Montenegro’s membership application.
He said that the EU has also been asked to consider a response to membership applications by Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia.
Djelic said that the EU has to consider the removal of visa restrictions for all South Eastern European countries that are under restrictions, adding that he hopes that during Sweden’s EU presidency in the second half of 2009, visa restrictions will be removed for many countries.
He stressed that the initiative for today’s meeting originated within the region and did not come from the European Commission or any other institution.
I believe that today’s discussion showed that, despite certain open issues, the countries of this region are able to have a unified stance regarding joint interests and regional cooperation, said Djelic.
He said that participants at the conference “European Perspective of South Eastern Europe at a Time of Challenges – Facing the Economic and Energy Crisis” sought today from the EU to take into account the interests of South East Europe in its economic recovery plan.
Djelic said that the EU should help investment in the infrastructure of countries in the region that is of national and international importance, international road, waterway and railway corridors.
The EU’s help is expected in promoting energy efficiency, construction of energy infrastructure and improvement of production capacities in the region, he said.
Representatives of Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Albania and Croatia agreed that the economic crisis in 2009 should not have a negative influence on European integration or the economic stability of the region.
The EU was asked to grant access to funds from European banks doing business in the region.
The participants of the meeting expressed their support for the EU’s efforts to apply pre-accession assistance through the IPA programme and additional financial means.
Djelic announced that division of the approved €120 million from the IPA is expected soon and added that these funds will be used for local self-governments, investment in infrastructure and support to SMEs.
He announced that the next meeting will be held in August in Ohrid, Macedonia
The participants were also addressed by Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic.
He said that representatives of six Western Balkan countries made a joint statement at the conference, saying that a European future is guaranteed to all countries of the region.
He said that South Eastern European countries are not asking for collective EU accession, rather they want to establish that each country has its own separate process, adding that the EU has been urged this year to consider concluding accession negotiations with Croatia, beginning negotiations with Macedonia and to respond to Montenegro’s membership application.
He said that the EU has also been asked to consider a response to membership applications by Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia.
Djelic said that the EU has to consider the removal of visa restrictions for all South Eastern European countries that are under restrictions, adding that he hopes that during Sweden’s EU presidency in the second half of 2009, visa restrictions will be removed for many countries.
He stressed that the initiative for today’s meeting originated within the region and did not come from the European Commission or any other institution.
I believe that today’s discussion showed that, despite certain open issues, the countries of this region are able to have a unified stance regarding joint interests and regional cooperation, said Djelic.
He said that participants at the conference “European Perspective of South Eastern Europe at a Time of Challenges – Facing the Economic and Energy Crisis” sought today from the EU to take into account the interests of South East Europe in its economic recovery plan.
Djelic said that the EU should help investment in the infrastructure of countries in the region that is of national and international importance, international road, waterway and railway corridors.
The EU’s help is expected in promoting energy efficiency, construction of energy infrastructure and improvement of production capacities in the region, he said.
Representatives of Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Albania and Croatia agreed that the economic crisis in 2009 should not have a negative influence on European integration or the economic stability of the region.
The EU was asked to grant access to funds from European banks doing business in the region.
The participants of the meeting expressed their support for the EU’s efforts to apply pre-accession assistance through the IPA programme and additional financial means.
Djelic announced that division of the approved €120 million from the IPA is expected soon and added that these funds will be used for local self-governments, investment in infrastructure and support to SMEs.
He announced that the next meeting will be held in August in Ohrid, Macedonia
The participants were also addressed by Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic.
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