New EU progress report "sobering"

Serbia has fulfilled less than a third of the commitments it set itself in the European Integration Program, states a government report. According to the latest report from the European Integration Office adopted by the government, the ineffective work of the national parliament has meant that only a third of the laws in the European packet have been adopted, while the government has accomplished two-thirds of the necessary work. New EU progress report "sobering" The Health and Science Ministries have proven to be the most ineffective, indicates the report seen by B92. The progress report should come as “sobering“, said European Integration Office Director Milica Delevic. “In all the countries of the region, when this kind of report came out for the first time, it was sobering, and I think it’s good for Serbia that we begin with this kind of practice of reporting,“ said Delevic. “The responsible attitude towards the commitments that we’ve undertaken is important, both for the functioning of the country as a whole, and for our EU integration,“ she said. “What matters to me is that all the ministries, the prime minister, and parliament, which will receive the report, know what’s been done and what hasn’t, and know that the next report is due out in April,“ Delevic explained. Milica Delevic (FoNet, archive) Ljajic: Path to Brussels lies via Hague The U.S. administration does not doubt Serbia’s intentions to wrap up cooperation with the Hague Tribunal as soon as possible, says Rasim Ljajic. The president of the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague says, however, that Serbia’s road to Brussels leads, first of all, through fulfilling its remaining obligations to the Hague court. Ljajic was attending the traditional prayer breakfast in Washington. After speaking with U.S. Ambassador-At-Large for War Crimes Clint Williamson, Ljajic believes that Serbia has received not only recognition for its accomplishments, but absolute support for the first time. “The ambassador alone mentioned several times the absolutely different political climate, atmosphere and political willingness of the Serbian government to conclude its remaining international obligations, so we didn’t have to have any special argument in order to convince him that Serbia really was doing everything to extradite the two remaining fugitives to the Tribunal,” he said. British Ambassador to Belgrade Steven Wordsworth also hopes that Serbia will be able to complete cooperation with the Hague in the next few months, since it has shown strong determination, better cooperation among its security forces, and a clear political will to resolve that problem. “That’s a combination of what I’ve seen in the past six months—much stronger determination, better cooperation among the security forces, which now work effectively together, and there’s clear will to resolve the problem,” said Wordsworth. “Only that last issue remains to be resolved, I cannot say when, but I hope in the next few months, and then we can continue forward. What is necessary now is a little more detective work, but also luck, as these things always require luck,” added the British ambassador. Nevertheless, he does not believe that a visit by an EU mission to assess Serbia’s cooperation with the Hague in Belgrade, as proposed by Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, would resolve the problem, as not all 27 EU member-states accept the idea. With regards to the U.S., Ljajic told Voice of America that the road to Brussels led first through the Hague, but said that good ties with Washington were amongst the current government’s priorities. “Washington is also high on the ladder of our foreign political priorities, practically one of three key pillars of our policy, but our road to Brussels leads through important European capitals—in this specific situation the road to Brussels leads through The Hague,” said the National Council president. “Holland’s approach is in large measure counterproductive, since as we’ve seen, on one hand, anti-European feeling is growing, and, for the first time in a long time, we have found in polls that the number of those against cooperation with the Tribunal is on the rise again,” he added. EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said that he would covey Brussels’ strong support for Serbia’s European future during his visit to Belgrade next week. Rehn expressed hope that the EU Council of Ministers would soon be able to recognize Serbia’s full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.

New EU progress report "sobering"

The Health and Science Ministries have proven to be the most ineffective, indicates the report seen by B92.

The progress report should come as “sobering“, said European Integration Office Director Milica Delević.

“In all the countries of the region, when this kind of report came out for the first time, it was sobering, and I think it’s good for Serbia that we begin with this kind of practice of reporting,“ said Delević.

“The responsible attitude towards the commitments that we’ve undertaken is important, both for the functioning of the country as a whole, and for our EU integration,“ she said.

“What matters to me is that all the ministries, the prime minister, and parliament, which will receive the report, know what’s been done and what hasn’t, and know that the next report is due out in April,“ Delević explained.

Ljajić: Path to Brussels lies via Hague

The U.S. administration does not doubt Serbia’s intentions to wrap up cooperation with the Hague Tribunal as soon as possible, says Rasim Ljajić.

The president of the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague says, however, that Serbia’s road to Brussels leads, first of all, through fulfilling its remaining obligations to the Hague court. Ljajić was attending the traditional prayer breakfast in Washington.

After speaking with U.S. Ambassador-At-Large for War Crimes Clint Williamson, Ljajić believes that Serbia has received not only recognition for its accomplishments, but absolute support for the first time.

“The ambassador alone mentioned several times the absolutely different political climate, atmosphere and political willingness of the Serbian government to conclude its remaining international obligations, so we didn’t have to have any special argument in order to convince him that Serbia really was doing everything to extradite the two remaining fugitives to the Tribunal,” he said.

British Ambassador to Belgrade Steven Wordsworth also hopes that Serbia will be able to complete cooperation with the Hague in the next few months, since it has shown strong determination, better cooperation among its security forces, and a clear political will to resolve that problem.

“That’s a combination of what I’ve seen in the past six months—much stronger determination, better cooperation among the security forces, which now work effectively together, and there’s clear will to resolve the problem,” said Wordsworth.

“Only that last issue remains to be resolved, I cannot say when, but I hope in the next few months, and then we can continue forward. What is necessary now is a little more detective work, but also luck, as these things always require luck,” added the British ambassador.

Nevertheless, he does not believe that a visit by an EU mission to assess Serbia’s cooperation with the Hague in Belgrade, as proposed by Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić, would resolve the problem, as not all 27 EU member-states accept the idea.

With regards to the U.S., Ljajić told Voice of America that the road to Brussels led first through the Hague, but said that good ties with Washington were amongst the current government’s priorities.

“Washington is also high on the ladder of our foreign political priorities, practically one of three key pillars of our policy, but our road to Brussels leads through important European capitals—in this specific situation the road to Brussels leads through The Hague,” said the National Council president.

“Holland’s approach is in large measure counterproductive, since as we’ve seen, on one hand, anti-European feeling is growing, and, for the first time in a long time, we have found in polls that the number of those against cooperation with the Tribunal is on the rise again,” he added.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said that he would covey Brussels’ strong support for Serbia’s European future during his visit to Belgrade next week.

Rehn expressed hope that the EU Council of Ministers would soon be able to recognize Serbia’s full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.