President of European Parliament Martin Schulz said today that Serbia’s willingness to compromise did not go unseen in Brussels and added that he acknowledged Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic’s presence at the 11 July commemoration of victims of “the greatest post WW2 war crime in Europe” in Srebrenica.
20 years ago, 8000 boys and men were systematically executed in Srebrenica, said Schulz at the National Assembly of Serbia.
We are obliged to confront the hatred, intolerance, hostility and aggression, fight for democracy, peace and understanding, and preserve memory, because without it there is no reconciliation, Schulz said.
He thanked the Government of Serbia for its engagement in improving regional stability.
Mesto: Beograd
Datum: 15.07.2015
Dogadjaj: EVROSERVIS/POLITIKA – konferencija za medije posle sastanka predsednika Vlade Srbije Aleksandra Vuèiæa i predsednika Evropskog parlamenta (EP) Martina ulca
Licnosti: Martin Schulz
Contacts with Pristina have been enhanced. I hope that you will be able to make progress in resolving numerous issues, said Schulz.
Noting that representatives of Albanian and Serbian governments Edi Rama and Aleksandar Vucic made progress through negotiations, Schulz assessed that bringing Belgrade and Tirana closer was driver of cooperation in the whole region.
Refugees raise a whole array of challenges for Serbia. These days, more people are trying to reach European Union through Western Balkans than through Mediterranean, Schulz said.
Schulz said that Hungarian decision to erect a fence along its border with Serbia was unacceptable, adding that it went contrary to the European spirit.
As far as refugees go, we need a coordinated regional approach and the EU stands ready to work with Serbia on this issue, Schulz said.
According to him, European Parliament is in favour of opening first negotiating chapters with Serbia by year’s end.
Only then will the work begin, he said, adding that media freedoms should be guaranteed in every EU Member State, as well as in those striving to membership.
Let’s make sure there is no need to further protect Ombudsman, Schulz said, adding that Serbia is part and parcel of Europe and therefore belonged to the democratic community of its countries.
