Đelić: SAA to be unblocked in December?

The first realistic date when the SAA could be unblocked is at the EU summit in December after Serge Brammertz’s next report, says Deputy PM Bozidar Djelic. He told daily Blic that the only safe road towards unblocking the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) and receiving candidate status was Ratko Mladic’s extradition, but that it could also be achieved through “full cooperation with the Hague.” Djelic: SAA to be unblocked in December? “The fact that the EC has officially suggested implementation of SAA without delay for the first time is a positive signal,” Djelic said. The Swedish EU presidency could propose the agreement to be unblocked in October, though this is unlikely. It is more realistic to expect this to happen at the summit in December, after the Hague chief prosecutor’s new report. “Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt has assured us that the question of implementation of the Interim Trade Agreement will be addressed in one of those meetings,“ says Djelic. “We’ll apply for membership once we have reached an agreement with our European partners. But it’s not a topic for today but for December,” the minister said. “The government is doing its best to apply for membership by the end of the year, but the most important thing now is for our European partners to reach a consensus concerning the SAA, based on the good references we were given, because applying for membership would be a mere formality then,” he said. “If no agreement is reached in October and December, the leadership will decide whether to apply for EU membership by the end of the year. Efforts should be made to speed up European integration, and not just because of the internal political situation,” stressed Djelic. Bozidar Djelic (FoNet, archive)

Đelić: SAA to be unblocked in December?

“The fact that the EC has officially suggested implementation of SAA without delay for the first time is a positive signal,” Đelić said.

The Swedish EU presidency could propose the agreement to be unblocked in October, though this is unlikely. It is more realistic to expect this to happen at the summit in December, after the Hague chief prosecutor’s new report.

“Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt has assured us that the question of implementation of the Interim Trade Agreement will be addressed in one of those meetings,“ says Đelić.

“We’ll apply for membership once we have reached an agreement with our European partners. But it’s not a topic for today but for December,” the minister said.

“The government is doing its best to apply for membership by the end of the year, but the most important thing now is for our European partners to reach a consensus concerning the SAA, based on the good references we were given, because applying for membership would be a mere formality then,” he said.

“If no agreement is reached in October and December, the leadership will decide whether to apply for EU membership by the end of the year. Efforts should be made to speed up European integration, and not just because of the internal political situation,” stressed Đelić.