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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

EU positively evaluates police work, effects of visa liberalisation

Belgrade/Brussels, 12 July 2010

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic said today in Brussels that EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström has positively evaluated the work of the Serbian police and effects of visa liberalisation.

Dacic, who is on working visit to Belgium, pointed out after the meeting with Malmström that she positively evaluated all effects of the fight against organised crime, which particularly refers to large-scale operations against drug trafficking which are result of the regional cooperation of competent services.

The effects of visa liberalisation have also been evaluated very positively in the EU, despite minor problems related to asylum-seekers who appeared in the first months after the introduction of a visa-free regime.

The Deputy Prime Minister recalled that that problem had been resolved and added that the crime rate for Serbian citizens in EU territory has dropped significantly since the introduction of visa liberalisation.

Dacic noted that Serbia endorses visa abolishment for other Western Balkan states since this will contribute a lot to the overall stabilisation of the region.

He explained that once Serbia’s candidacy for the EU is accepted, the issues pertaining to interior affairs and the judiciary will become crucial to its EU integration process.

At the meeting with Malmström, Dacic presented the results achieved in police reform so far, noting that all activities in this respect are primarily aimed at increasing the standard of police work and subsequently in meeting the necessary conditions on Serbia’s EU path.

The Deputy Prime Minister invited Commissioner Malmström to visit Serbia and see the results achieved for herself.

Speaking about cooperation with the Hague tribunal, the Minister affirmed that a positive report of Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz regarding Serbia’s cooperation with the court shows that the international community realises that Serbia is doing all it can to locate and arrest the remaining indictees.