Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Sem Fabrizi said that the opening of two negotiating chapters with Serbia should be regarded as a positive development, adding that the process of European integration was not merely sustained, but was progressing, while Serbian Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic said that it would be only fair to open another one.

At the launch of Applied Nostalgia exhibition, Joksimovic said Estonia’s Presidency of the EU Council would come to an end in December, describing it as a period of intense activity in Serbia and waiting for new chapters to open.

“New chapters will indeed be opened. Alas, fewer than expected and fewer than we believe we deserve. Two chapters per conference is the usual tempo. Next Intergovernmental Conference is scheduled for Monday, 11 December,” Joksimovic said.

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“We were really expecting three chapters to be opened, it is a realistic and a fair estimate,” she said, “but never mind, we are pushing on with the negotiation process,” Minister said.

She said that the process continues during the Bulgarian and Austrian EU Presidency in 2018, adding that presidency agendas of both countries are clearly committed to continuing the enlargement process.

EU Ambassador Fabrizi said that the Intergovernmental Conference, taking place on Monday, would discuss chapters, adding that the whole thing should be regarded as a positive development.

According to him, past semester was extremely important for Estonia as it marked its first EU Council Presidency in 13 years since it became a member.

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“It was a challenge for Estonia, but the semester is not done yet: EU Council will be in session on 14 and 15 December, while Parliamentary Committee for Application of SA Agreement will be paying a visit on 21 December,” Fabrizi said.

“When it comes to chapters, it is not the presiding country that makes the decision; it is made in concert by 28 Member States. I can assure you that the EU is firmly committed to Serbia’s further advance in the process of European integration,” Fabrizi said.

The opening of chapters reflects the progress made, he said, adding that the final goal – EU accession – should always be kept in mind.

The two opened the exhibition Applied Nostalgia today. The project Applied Nostalgia is conceived as a series of photo exhibitions featuring two photographers – one from Serbia and the other one from the country presiding over the EU Council.

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Serbian photographer Marko Nikolic visited Tallinn in June 2017, whereas his Estonian counterpart Rait Tuulas paid a visit to Belgrade in July. The exhibition runs through 19 December at the Hall of the National Bank of Serbia in Slavija Square.