Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met in Belgrade with European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Crețu to discuss Serbia’s European path. A statement released from the President’s Office reads that the President said that EU membership was Serbia’s strategic goal, describing the country as an active partner of the EU.

European Commissioner expressed her condolences over the murder of the leader of Citizens’ Initiative Party Oliver Ivanovic. She said that the European Commission condemned the crime in the strongest possible terms, adding that she hopes the authorities in Kosovo and Metohija will conduct the investigation and bring perpetrators to justice. The most important thing for both sides is to remain calm and maintain the stability, she said. Crețu welcomed Serbia’s commitment to continuing the dialogue with Pristina.

The press release further reads that the European Commissioner congratulated Serbia on the hard work it had done in the process of European integration, voicing her hope that, Serbia would seize the momentum announced by the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker regarding the possible accession date.

“Serbia is already an active and valuable partner in cooperation, especially in terms of the Danube and Adriatic and Ionian macro-regional strategies,” Crețu said, congratulating on good cross-border cooperation between Serbia and EU Member States – Hungary, Romania, Croatia and Bulgaria.

The two discussed the importance of projects in the area of education and IPA and CBC funds, through which such projects could be financed, the statement reads.