Serbia is progressing well in negotiations with the EU, said European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, adding that it is not unrealistic to expect the opening of another two chapters.
Hahn met with Serbian European Integration Minister Jadranka Joksimovic in Brussels. He told the press that making progress in Belgrade-Pristina dialogue was not the only job Belgrade is tasked with.
“We have to focus on other things as well. We discussed measures which need to be implemented in rule of law. There are a lot of things to do which are the sole responsibility of Serbia and its authorities. There are different areas we have to work on. Ideally, we would tackle them in parallel, on multiple tracks so that we don’t lose time,” said Hahn.
Minister Joksimovic, who also met with EU Member States’ ambassadors, said that further grants for Serbia have been agreed with Hahn.
She announced the signature of a part of IPA funds to the tune of EUR42 million by the end of June, out of a total of EUR138 million, and the signature of a EUR175 million grant for farmers by 2020.
“I expect to have two more chapters open by the end of June. I guess those will be chapter 33 (financial and budgetary provisions) and chapter 13 (fisheries),” Joksimovic said.
She noted that Serbia had prepared even more chapters for opening and that it would continue to work on drafting new negotiating positions, the Belgrade media report.
