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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia, Macedonia fulfill conditions for talks with EU

Belgrade, 3 June 2013

Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and his Macedonian counterpart Nikola Gruevski stated today that the two countries have fulfilled all the criteria for the start of negotiations with the EU and noted that Serbia and Macedonia should continue to cooperate during the integration process.

Author: Fonet

Speaking at a joint press conference with Gruevski at the Palace of Serbia after the first joint session of the governments of Serbia and Macedonia, Dacic said that the session passed in very constructive atmosphere full of mutual understanding and friendship.

With this we demonstrate our commitment to the further strengthening of cooperation and bilateral relations. We wish to cooperate on the path towards the EU and we would be happy if the initiative for regional integration came to life, as is the case in some other regions, such as Scandinavia, the Prime Minister of Serbia underlined.

He pointed out that it is necessary to boost economic cooperation, noting that foreign trade between the two countries, which amounts to approximately €600 million, is good.

Dacic stated that relations should be improved in infrastructure too, and made a special reference to the completion of Corridor 10, construction of section of South Stream towards Macedonia and cooperation in the energy sector.

Gruevski stated that the countries of this region are faced on their path towards the EU with conditions that were not set to other countries, but they will not be discouraged because of that.

He voiced hope that the open issue of Orthodox churches of Macedonia and Serbia will be solved in the future, and pointed out that the relations between the two countries should serve as an example for its resolution.

Commenting on this issue, Dacic underlined that the state cannot make decisions in the name of the church, but that it wants to encourage dialogue among churches and the resolution of outstanding issues through agreement, adding that the states of Serbia and Macedonia are ready to do that.

He also confirmed that commissions for economic cooperation will be activated soon, as well as the mixed commission for minority rights.

The Prime Minister of Serbia underlined that our country does not expect a green light, nor any conditional dates, bur rather a concrete date for the start of negotiatons on EU membership.

We think that the decision on the date should be brought now and that negotiations should start in a few months, he stated and recalled that Serbia did its part of the job, and not only did it reach an agreement in Brussels, but it also signed a plan for its implementation.

Now it is up to the EU Council to decide whether it will value that or not, Dacic underlined and added that the countries in the region, which have similar problems on their path to the EU, should act together and work in their common interest.