EP Rapporteur for Serbia David McAllister said Serbia was firmly on the EU membership path and that Serbian PM clearly laid that out in his programme, adding that the challenge of accession could not be be overcome without Parliament’s contribution.

At the promotion of publication titled “European Parliament and Serbia” McAllister said Brussels was closely, fairly but critically, monitoring Serbia’s advance on the EU path.

He pointed out that parliaments generally were of great importance and that any democratic society was identified by independent and free parliaments that were grounded in political reality.

“They are the heart of the democracy. The European Parliament will monitor Serbia as it meets the requirements,” McAllister said and stressed that the building of the European Parliament in Strasbourg had enough room for Serbian counterparts.

“I am looking forward to that day,” he said, adding that the EU enlargement policy remains in force despite the challenges posed by the UK’s decision to leave the EU.

He told the press that Serbia had a solid track record on the European path, even though the process needed time and careful preparation.

“The opening of chapters 23 and 24 was a major step forward and now the homework must be done – implementation of necessary reform, meeting the requirements. I believe we are about the see the opening of further chapters, I believe Serbia is ready to open chapter 5,” EP Rapporteur for Serbia said.

“These signals are good and I want to call on Serbian Government and the Parliament to keep up the good work,” McAllister said.

National Assembly Speaker Maja Gojkovic said the publication “European Parliament and Serbia” would be useful to Serbian MPs both in their day-to-day work and their contact with citizens.

Gojkovic spoke about the message McAllister wrote in the publication and the comparison he drew between Serbia and a train deciding on its own speed and time of arrival in Brussels as its last stop.

“My message is that the journey will be short, safe and steady and I call on Brussels to brace itself for the train named Serbia,” Gojkovic said.

The publication is co-published by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and the Centre for Contemporary Politics.