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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Possibility to join EU by 2012

Belgrade, 15 January 2005

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub Labus said today that our country could join the European Union in 2012, stressing that this is an ambitious yet feasible programme.

Author: Tanjug

Labus, speaking at a panel themed “National Consensus on Serbia’s European Future,” which is being held at Sava Centre, said that our country could become an associate member of the EU as early as 2006 and that it can gain the status of EU-candidate in 2007 or 2008.

He warned that cooperation with The Hague tribunal is one of the remaining pre-conditions for a positive feasibility study and that it is necessary to prove that the state union of Serbia and Montenegro is functioning.

By the end of the year or early next year, we could sign an agreement on stabilisation and association, said Labus and added that terms for European integration are equal for all countries and that EU accession is not merely a political act but will also bring a better life to citizens.

Labus stressed that the Serbian government is working on fulfilling the requirements for a positive feasibility study and that it has set up a negotiation team and eight working groups.

Head of the OSCE Mission in Serbia-Montenegro Maurizio Massari said the OSCE is ready to help our country towards EU membership, stressing that our country must meet technical and political requirements in the process.

The technical requirements relate to the harmonisation of laws with EU regulations and political requirements include cooperation with The Hague tribunal and the functioning of the state union of Serbia and Montenegro, Massari explained.

The panel was organised by the Serbian parliament’s European integration committee and the European Movement in Serbia, with support from the OSCE Mission and under the auspices of the Serbian parliament speaker, Predrag Markovic.

Labus told reporters that the latest decision by the United States to cut a portion of aid to Serbia over imperfect cooperation with The Hague tribunal is important for our political relations and he expressed hope that these problems will be resolved soon.

Labus pointed out that the US is a very important element in international finance and in diplomatic and political relations and with that element on our side, talks on the future status of Kosovo-Metohija and EU accession will be easier.

Recalling that this is the third time the US has cut off aid to Serbia, Labus said that so far the US has suspended payments to our country totalling $39 million.

Labus announced that EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana and European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn will visit our country and that on January 27, the working group of the EU will hold a meeting, which will define the fate of the feasibility study.

Labus said that this is the right time to resolve the problem of cooperation with The Hague tribunal as well as relations with the US administration, stressing that he would not link the resolution of that problem with the US’s financial assistance but rather to the feasibility study and talks on stabilisation and association with the EU.