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Verhagen’s visit a turning point in relations between Serbia, Holland

Belgrade, 16 December 2009

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic today said that the visit by Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Verhagen is a turning point in the political relations between the two states.

Dacic told the press at the Serbian parliament that Verhagen’s visit to Serbia, which had first been scheduled for July but was cancelled, shows that in the meantime Serbia has made several important steps in the EU integration process.

Dacic also noted that in the upcoming days Serbia should hold consultations with its European partners about further steps towards integration.

It is beyond any doubt that visa liberalisation and the unfreezing of the transitional trade agreement are a huge impetus and progress in Serbia’s integration process.

Further steps will depend on the readiness of EU member states to respond positively to Serbia's request to apply for EU candidacy, Dacic said, adding that Serbia is not looking for political gifts and that it has done a lot concerning the European integration process. When it comes to Hague indictees Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic, he reiterated that Serbia is doing everything in its power to complete cooperation with the tribunal, but noted that with such police and security matters it is very difficult to say when.