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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Labus urges EU to consider abolition of visas for Serbian citizens

Belgrade, 22 November 2004

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub Labus said today that the European Union should conduct an active policy in relation to Western Balkan countries, i.e., help Serbia-Montenegro to carry out certain prerequisites on the road to the EU. He also urged the EU officials to consider abolishing visas for the citizens of Serbia.

At a conference organised by the Hanns Seidel Foundation on German-Serbia-Montenegrin relations, Labus presented his report themed “Serbia’s Road On Reaching European Structures”. He said that if the Western Balkan countries do not get the support they need, they could wait for another 25 years to be granted membership in the EU.

He urged EU officials to consider abolishing visas for Serbia’s residents. The Deputy Prime Minister said that Serbia-Montenegro should have already been granted membership in the Partnership for Peace programme, adding that the EU should provide guidelines to Serbia-Montenegro in its efforts to reform the army.

Deputy in the Bavarian parliament Reinhold Bocklet said that Serbia-Montenegro must meet all its prerequisites for joining the EU, including full cooperation with The Hague tribunal, solving the destiny of the state union and Kosovo issue, as well as structural adjustment to EU standards. He went on to say that once Serbia-Montenegro fulfills all that, the EU will do its part.

The conference was attended by a group of respected politicians and experts, 15 from Germany and 30 from Serbia-Montenegro.