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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia to apply for EU candidacy after consulting European institutions

Belgrade, 14 December 2009

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Bozidar Djelic said today that Serbia will consult European institutions and EU member states before applying for candidate status, in order to obtain maximum consensus.

Author: Fonet

Opening the international conference "Behind the wall", being held at the Serbian government palace, Djelic said that the year that is now behind us was very good for the European integration of the Western Balkan countries.

He stressed that Serbia will do its level best to become a full EU member as soon as possible. The decision of the EU Council of Ministers to unfreeze the interim trade agreement is confirmation of Serbia's cooperation with the Hague tribunal and that only increases Serbia's resolution to complete cooperation. Djelic said that Serbia is doing everything to find the remaining two indictees who are still at large, and reiterated that guilt for all deeds must be individual, not collective. He explained that when it comes to European integration, the region has several challenges next year, among which are turning visa liberalisation from a formal freedom into reality, and final establishment of the transportation community of south-eastern Europe. Other challenges are boosting traffic on the Danube river, the issue of refugees and displaced persons, the Roma minority, and giving more importance to the economy of knowledge, Djelic added. Director at the Directorate General for Enlargement Pierre Mirel said that the EU is ready to receive new members, but only after they fulfil certain criteria, first and foremost being the establishment of the rule of law, transparent implementation of reforms and the fight against crime and corruption. Mirel said that negotiations with Croatia are in the final stage and they will soon be launched with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), which has candidate status. He voiced hope that in the first quarter of next year visa liberalisation will be proposed for Bosnia-Herzegovina and Albania.

He underlined that the countries of the region should resolve bilateral conflicts as well, since only the FYROM has no border related problems. They must also complete cooperation with the Hague tribunal and resolve the refugee problem. Mirel concluded that the situation now is more favourable than ten years ago, because now there is a consensus among the EU member states concerning enlargement towards the Western Balkans.