PM: Serbia EU candidate by end of 2011

Serbian PM Mirko Cvetkovic says he is convinced the country will become a candidate for EU membership by the end of this year. Cvetkovic, who is currently visiting Brussels, told B92 late on Monday that it was necessary to "make great effort and reach political agreement in Serbia". PM: Serbia EU candidate by end of 2011 "The ball is in our yard now. We know exactly which reforms we should conduct, we have the exactly set deadlines, and it's up to us whether to do this or not," said he. Cvetkovic on Monday delivered Serbia's answers to the EC questionnaire, said he was satisfied with the visit, and described it as "a certain ceremonial moment". "All the documents have been prepared, all what's left to do is reach political agreement on what should be done. This decision can be reached in one day or in 11 years. Now we have been put in a situation to sit down and make those decisions within a few days, that is, until the end of the first half of this year," said the premier. He also asserted that unless Serbia became a candidate by the end of 2011, the process "will perhaps be postponed for several years". Commenting on the controversy over the recent changes to Serbia's law on excise taxes in the context of the SAA provisions, Cvetkovic said there were in fact "no disputes with the EU" over this matter, and that Brussels was yet to reveal its official position. He concluded that "as soon as the Serbian government receives the EU stand on double excises on domestic and imported fuel, it will prepare in the shortest time changes to that law, if necessary". As for last week's resignation of Health Minister Tomica Milosavljevic, Cvetkovic said this development "will not jeopardize" his cabinet. Cvetkovic with Barroso in Brussels on Monday (FoNet) "Serbia should maintain EU integration momentum" European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said on Monday in Brussels that Serbia had passed an important milestone in its bid to join the European Union when Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic delivered the completed Commission Questionnaire on the country's readiness for EU membership. Barroso stated that full cooperation with the Hague tribunal remained a substantial condition for membership, and cited the rule of law and combating corruption and organized crime as key issues for Serbia. He said Serbia's justice system reform had a clear-cut path. When asked about the Council of Europe report and leaked NATO intelligence about crimes in Kosovo at a news conference, Barroso replied that the European Commission took war crimes and organized crime very seriously and considered them a priority and strict obligation in relations with the entire Western Balkans, including Kosovo. Barroso said EULEX would take action in Kosovo based on evidence, stating further that Council of Europe rapporteur Dick Marty had been asked to provide EULEX investigators with all available findings. Serbia's prime minister said Belgrade would not politicize the Council of Europe report, but stressed that it strove to establish the truth. The president of the European Commission said he was happy that Belgrade was ready for a dialogue with Kosovo about practical issues, adding that he hoped the talks would start soon. Cvetkovic stated that Belgrade was ready for the dialogue, that the head of the negotiating team had been appointed and the technical framework delineated. "We feel dialogue and negotiations are the only way to solve problems, including the most difficult ones," he concluded. "EC experts will examine truthfulness" Serbian Deputy Prime Minister for EU Integration Bozidar Djelic announced on Tuesday that the European Commission (EC) experts will arrive in Belgrade to examine the truthfulness of the answers given to the questions from EC's questionnaire. Djelic, who was a part of the delegation which submitted the answers to the EC's questionnaire to Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule on Monday, told B92 that Serbia answered all the questions truthfully. We gave truthful answers, but a statistical or some other type of mistake might have managed to escape us, Djelic stressed. We will complete the process of questions and answers and work with the EC on what needs to be changed, he added. Djelic announced that EC's technical missions will arrive in Belgrade, and work on the parts of the questionnaire pointed to by the EC. When asked to explain his earlier statement that he would try to lobby for the idea that additional funds should be opened for Serbia and the entire Balkan region while the Balkan countries are still in the process of applying for the candidate status or negotiating on the EU membership, Djelic said that he proposed two options. The first option is that, instead of waiting for the EU accession for the financial support to increase, we should take one step at a time and make the process more natural. The second option is to show our budget to Europe, and if they think that the budget is sustainable and positive, in return they could give us guarantees for getting into the capital market, Djelic underscored. Bozidar Djelic (FoNet, file)

PM: Serbia EU candidate by end of 2011

"The ball is in our yard now. We know exactly which reforms we should conduct, we have the exactly set deadlines, and it's up to us whether to do this or not," said he.

Cvetković on Monday delivered Serbia's answers to the EC questionnaire, said he was satisfied with the visit, and described it as "a certain ceremonial moment".

"All the documents have been prepared, all what's left to do is reach political agreement on what should be done. This decision can be reached in one day or in 11 years. Now we have been put in a situation to sit down and make those decisions within a few days, that is, until the end of the first half of this year," said the premier.

He also asserted that unless Serbia became a candidate by the end of 2011, the process "will perhaps be postponed for several years".

Commenting on the controversy over the recent changes to Serbia's law on excise taxes in the context of the SAA provisions, Cvetković said there were in fact "no disputes with the EU" over this matter, and that Brussels was yet to reveal its official position.

He concluded that "as soon as the Serbian government receives the EU stand on double excises on domestic and imported fuel, it will prepare in the shortest time changes to that law, if necessary".

As for last week's resignation of Health Minister Tomica Milosavljević, Cvetković said this development "will not jeopardize" his cabinet.

"Serbia should maintain EU integration momentum"

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said on Monday in Brussels that Serbia had passed an important milestone in its bid to join the European Union when Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković delivered the completed Commission Questionnaire on the country's readiness for EU membership.

Barroso stated that full cooperation with the Hague tribunal remained a substantial condition for membership, and cited the rule of law and combating corruption and organized crime as key issues for Serbia. He said Serbia's justice system reform had a clear-cut path.

When asked about the Council of Europe report and leaked NATO intelligence about crimes in Kosovo at a news conference, Barroso replied that the European Commission took war crimes and organized crime very seriously and considered them a priority and strict obligation in relations with the entire Western Balkans, including Kosovo.

Barroso said EULEX would take action in Kosovo based on evidence, stating further that Council of Europe rapporteur Dick Marty had been asked to provide EULEX investigators with all available findings.

Serbia's prime minister said Belgrade would not politicize the Council of Europe report, but stressed that it strove to establish the truth.

The president of the European Commission said he was happy that Belgrade was ready for a dialogue with Kosovo about practical issues, adding that he hoped the talks would start soon.

Cvetković stated that Belgrade was ready for the dialogue, that the head of the negotiating team had been appointed and the technical framework delineated. "We feel dialogue and negotiations are the only way to solve problems, including the most difficult ones," he concluded.

"EC experts will examine truthfulness"

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister for EU Integration Božidar Đelić announced on Tuesday that the European Commission (EC) experts will arrive in Belgrade to examine the truthfulness of the answers given to the questions from EC's questionnaire.

Đelić, who was a part of the delegation which submitted the answers to the EC's questionnaire to Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule on Monday, told B92 that Serbia answered all the questions truthfully.

We gave truthful answers, but a statistical or some other type of mistake might have managed to escape us, Đelić stressed. We will complete the process of questions and answers and work with the EC on what needs to be changed, he added.

Đelić announced that EC's technical missions will arrive in Belgrade, and work on the parts of the questionnaire pointed to by the EC.

When asked to explain his earlier statement that he would try to lobby for the idea that additional funds should be opened for Serbia and the entire Balkan region while the Balkan countries are still in the process of applying for the candidate status or negotiating on the EU membership, Đelić said that he proposed two options.

The first option is that, instead of waiting for the EU accession for the financial support to increase, we should take one step at a time and make the process more natural. The second option is to show our budget to Europe, and if they think that the budget is sustainable and positive, in return they could give us guarantees for getting into the capital market, Đelić underscored.