The European Union would step up its support to Serbia in this new phase of EU integration process, EU Enlargement Commissioner Štefan Füle said during the visit to Belgrade on May 5, but listed three key priorities that the EU considered for Serbia in the coming months: economic reforms, rule of law and further normalisation of relations with Pristina.
“This is a crucial period for EU-Serbia relations and an important chapter in the modern history of Serbia is being written – a very European chapter. Serbia has made impressive progress on its path towards EU integration,” Füle said after meeting Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic.
“It is very encouraging to see that in the last elections the Serbian citizens have supported parties with clear and ambitious commitment to the EU integration,” he added.
Commissioner Füle listed three key priorities that the EU considered for Serbia in the coming months: “economic governance and reforms; the rule of law, including the fight against corruption and reform of the public administration; further commitment to the normalisation of relations with Pristina as well as to regional cooperation and reconciliation.”
“I underlined in the discussion with the President that we are fully committed to help Serbia with the necessary reforms. We will step up our support to Serbia in this new phase: with technical expertise for Serbia’s alignment with the EU legislation, as well as with targeted financial support adjusted to Serbia’s needs and in particular to the needs of Serbian citizens,” Füle said.
Füle also met Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić and Minister in charge with European Integration Jadranka Joksimović, as well as the ministers of Justice Nikola Selaković, Interior Nebojša Stefanović and Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić.
“This visit is different to any one there was before. While in the past on many occasions we have been talking about intentions, plans, conditions. This is for the first time we talk business: about concrete chapters and how to deliver benefits of the negotiation process to the citizens of Serbia,” the commissioner said after meeting with Prime Minister.
“I assured the Prime Minister and members of his government that we will be able to open screening of four more chapters so that by the end of the Greek EU Presidency (this June) we should have 18 chapters either already screened or being part of the screening process. This is a good reflection of the excellent work which has not stopped during the election campaign and it is an important example, this impressive number proves the strong administrative capacity and political will in Serbia to deliver on reforms,” he said.
Füle said he discussed with Vučić and his team “three pillars of what we are focusing on at this stage of the process:” how to interact in regard with chapters 23, 24 so that these chapters could be opened “soon at the beginning of 2015;” the economic governance, which is the new approach of the Commission to strengthen the competitiveness of the Serbian economy “not only at the time of Serbia’s EU entry but already at this stage for the benefit of the people;” and finally about the implementation of agreements reached in the dialogue with Pristina “and its relation with the specific chapter 35.”
During the visit the Commissioner also met with the Speaker of the Parliament Maja Gojković and Heads of the Parliamentary groups.
