Serbia's on right path, says Solana

EU Security and Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana said that he expects Serbia to become a candidate for EU membership soon. He said that the “time has come” for Serbia to speed up her pace on the European path. Serbia's on right path, says Solana Solana told the Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti that he is content that an agreement was reached in the UN Security Council for the six-point plan based on Secretary General Ban Ki-moons report. “EULEX will deploy based on this general framework, and based on a joint action plan from February of this year, which all 27 EU member-states back, and with the full support of Belgrade, but also and Pristina,” Solana said. Asked whether the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) and its Interim Trade Agreement with Serbia will be unfrozen, Solana said he hopes that the report of Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz to the Security Council at the end of this week will enable the EU Ministerial Council to make a decision for implementing the SAA’s ratification. “The rhythm of integration depends on the rhythm of completed work. I believe that the Serbian government at this moment is correctly focusing on what it needs to do. Serbia can confirm a good direction now with the [unilateral] implementation of the interim agreement. In that way, it will speed up its road towards receiving candidate status,” he said. Solana added that the liberalization of the visa regime the EU imposed on Serbian nationals is the "common goal of the EU and Serbia", adding that he is "happy that the Serbian parliament has adopted a good number of important laws". “There is more work to be done, firstly with border control and document security But, I believe that this can be done quickly. And shortly after that, the Ministerial Council could make a decision on the liberalization of the visa regime,” Solana said. Asked whether a recognition of Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence by Belgrade could in the future become a condition for Serbia’s continued EU integration, Solana said that the question of Kosovo "needs to be left for later phases of EU integration". “All the countries of the Western Balkans have a clear European perspective. The conditions are well known to everyone, as is the work they must do. Serbia will without a doubt focus its energy on achieving fast progress. The Kosovo question is for a later phase of this process,” Solana said.

Serbia's on right path, says Solana

Solana told the Belgrade daily Večernje Novosti that he is content that an agreement was reached in the UN Security Council for the six-point plan based on Secretary General Ban Ki-moons report.

“EULEX will deploy based on this general framework, and based on a joint action plan from February of this year, which all 27 EU member-states back, and with the full support of Belgrade, but also and Priština,” Solana said.

Asked whether the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) and its Interim Trade Agreement with Serbia will be unfrozen, Solana said he hopes that the report of Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz to the Security Council at the end of this week will enable the EU Ministerial Council to make a decision for implementing the SAA’s ratification.

“The rhythm of integration depends on the rhythm of completed work. I believe that the Serbian government at this moment is correctly focusing on what it needs to do. Serbia can confirm a good direction now with the [unilateral] implementation of the interim agreement. In that way, it will speed up its road towards receiving candidate status,” he said.

Solana added that the liberalization of the visa regime the EU imposed on Serbian nationals is the "common goal of the EU and Serbia", adding that he is "happy that the Serbian parliament has adopted a good number of important laws".

“There is more work to be done, firstly with border control and document security But, I believe that this can be done quickly. And shortly after that, the Ministerial Council could make a decision on the liberalization of the visa regime,” Solana said.

Asked whether a recognition of Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence by Belgrade could in the future become a condition for Serbia’s continued EU integration, Solana said that the question of Kosovo "needs to be left for later phases of EU integration".

“All the countries of the Western Balkans have a clear European perspective. The conditions are well known to everyone, as is the work they must do. Serbia will without a doubt focus its energy on achieving fast progress. The Kosovo question is for a later phase of this process,” Solana said.