| Jeremić: Road to EU is open |
| 8 November 2009 | 13:52
| Source:
Večernje novosti |
BELGRADE --
Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić said that the next step for Serbia after visa liberalization will be to apply for EU candidate status.
 | Vuk Jeremić (FoNet archive)
|
“We believe that the most important conditions for doing so by the end of the year have been met. But, we will continue the process of widespread consultations with all relevant officials and we will soon make a final decision,” Jeremić told daily Večernje Novosti.
He said that Serbia is carefully considering all the circumstances and that there are more and more voices being heard every day encouraging Serbia to apply for candidacy.
“We will make the final decision after the summit of EU foreign ministers and governments in mid-December in Brussels,” Jeremić said.
He said that “Holland is fairly alone at this time in its stance that the time has not yet come for Serbia to continue its European integration.”
“I think that this situation is getting more and more obvious every day. Whether this will lead to a change in Holland’s stance, I cannot predict. Holland is a sovereign state and it is up to them to make the decision. We are focusing all diplomatic forces towards creating the conditions for stepping forward towards full-fledged EU membership. I think that we deserve it,” Jeremić said.
He added that it is not important whether visas for Serbian citizens will be abolished on December 19 or January 1, but rather that Serbian citizens “will soon be able to cross the border freely” just as other Europeans can.
“The decision for abolishing visas will be made at a meeting of the European Union ministers on November 30. Taking into consideration how much time and effort we have invested in the fight to begin to be treated like the rest of the normal world, the implementation of this decision a week earlier or later does not play a big role,” he said.
The Foreign Minister said that the proposal by some European officials to abolish visas on December 19 is a sign of good will towards Serbia ahead of the coming winter holidays.
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