"EU membership remains central goal"

Serbia’s chief strategic goal continues to be EU integration, President Boris Tadic has told EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn in New York. Serbia is willing to submit its EU membership application as soon as possible and will consider the arguments for and against this objectively, said Tadic. "EU membership remains central goal" The president told Rehn that Serbia had no alternative to the process of European integration and that any other option was unsustainable. The two men also discussed practical steps Serbia could take towards Brussels, while Tadic stressed that unfreezing of the Interim Trade Agreement did not depend on Rehn or the European Commission, but on Holland. “There is very good will on the part of 26 member states to unfreeze the agreement and for Serbia to move further in European integration, above all in terms of applying for membership. We’ll take that decision, we’re willing to submit our application as soon as possible,“ said Tadic. “Obviously, we’ll objectively assess the arguments for and against, but in any case, applying would definitely mean where Serbia is going and what our country’s strategic goal is. I’ve reiterated several times that Serbia has no alternative to European integration,” the president explained. Tadic also spoke with representatives of other delegations taking part at the UN General Assembly about preserving Serbia’s territorial integrity and the possibilities of investing in companies in Serbia. “This will be an opportunity to discuss traditional themes—preserving Serbia’s territorial integrity, Kosovo’s an inevitable theme, Serbia’s EU integration, but I’ll also be discussing potential investment with my colleagues from around the world,“ the president said. “There are also some specific contracts that will be talking points, which are on the horizon, and which could bring our people new jobs and a better life,” he added. Olli Rehn, Boris Tadic (FoNet, archive)

"EU membership remains central goal"

The president told Rehn that Serbia had no alternative to the process of European integration and that any other option was unsustainable.

The two men also discussed practical steps Serbia could take towards Brussels, while Tadić stressed that unfreezing of the Interim Trade Agreement did not depend on Rehn or the European Commission, but on Holland.

“There is very good will on the part of 26 member states to unfreeze the agreement and for Serbia to move further in European integration, above all in terms of applying for membership. We’ll take that decision, we’re willing to submit our application as soon as possible,“ said Tadić.

“Obviously, we’ll objectively assess the arguments for and against, but in any case, applying would definitely mean where Serbia is going and what our country’s strategic goal is. I’ve reiterated several times that Serbia has no alternative to European integration,” the president explained.

Tadić also spoke with representatives of other delegations taking part at the UN General Assembly about preserving Serbia’s territorial integrity and the possibilities of investing in companies in Serbia.

“This will be an opportunity to discuss traditional themes—preserving Serbia’s territorial integrity, Kosovo’s an inevitable theme, Serbia’s EU integration, but I’ll also be discussing potential investment with my colleagues from around the world,“ the president said.

“There are also some specific contracts that will be talking points, which are on the horizon, and which could bring our people new jobs and a better life,” he added.