Head of EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport said he was optimistic about opening of negotiating Chapters 32 (Financial Control) and 35 (Kosovo, as regards Serbia) by the end of 2015, whereas Chapters 23 and 24 were most likely to be open in early 2016.
“I believe you have heard Commissioner Johannes Hahn when he said that opening of chapters with Serbia was possible and that he himself made efforts to make to it happen by the end of 2016. EU Member States and their representatives share the same viewpoint,” said Davenport and reminded that European Commission recommended opening of Chapter 32 already in 2014.
As far as Chapter 35 goes, Davenport says, a deal on implementation of four agreements was reached within Brussels dialogue.
“It was a crucial moment in the dialogue and I believe it goes in favour of preparations for screening report on Chapter 35 but the decision about opening of chapters would lie in hands of EU Member States,” Davenport said.
He also said that, following EU Member States’ review of corresponding Action Plans, early 2016 was a realistic date for opening of Chapters 23 and 24.
According to him, it was up to Serbian Government to adopt Action Plans for Chapters 23 and 24, concerning Justice, Fundamental Rights, Security, Migration and other areas, so that European Commission, which already assessed them as positive, could deliver them to EU Member States. “I don’t think there would be a turbulent debate among EU Member States on this issue. I believe ii to be a rather transparent process,” Davenport said.
Davenport said that EU Members were already familiar with contents of Action Plans for Chapters 23 and 24, given their availability on Serbian Government’s web-sites, and stressed that he expected EU Member States to hold fruitful discussions on those Plans. “Naturally, I expect additional issues to arise; we will see how that goes,” said Head of EU Delegation to Serbia.
