Fule: No new conditions for Serbia

EU Enlargement Commissioner told Tanjug that there were no new conditions for Serbia’s on its path toward the EU. He repeated that it was necessary for Serbia to fulfill the Action plan which had been adopted earlier by the Serbian government in order to get the EU candidate status. Fule: No new conditions for Serbia According to him, there is a possibility that Serbia will also get a date for the accession negotiations. Fule added, however, that he could not guarantee it because “everything is in Serbia’s hands”. “My job is to support Serbia and objectively assess the progress that has been made. I hope and I want the progress to be made and to cover all important areas so we would be able to give positive opinion,” the EU enlargement commissioner stressed. He said that “there are several issues regarding the Copenhagen criteria”. “The Serbian authorities are aware of that. We have a regular dialogue in which we express support to Serbia’s progress. I am encouraged by the progress made so far,” Fule pointed out. He added that Serbia had not reached the goal yet because there were still several issues that should be solved, certain laws that should be adopted and institutions created. According to Fule, the European Commission (EC) is determined to help Serbia as much as possible to reach a point which would allow the EC give a positive recommendation. Fule expressed expectation in Vienna Thursday that the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue would yield concrete results in July. He stressed that he saw Serbia as an EU member only after the Kosovo issue was resolved. Addressing a panel discussion on European perspectives of the Balkan region held at the representative office of the European Commission (EC) in Vienna, the EU enlargement commissioner recalled that a total of four rounds of the dialogue had been held so far, which was significant as nobody had thought it was possible. “I hope we will see concrete, pragmatic results in June that will improve the lives of people, particularly in the north of Kosovo,” he stressed. “The enlargement process has different stages. In a time when not all EU member states recognize Kosovo independence we can hardly discuss the exact requirements by the EU. In the current stage, the EU member countries have said it was politically clear they wanted to see concrete results from the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue before they accepted EC's recommendation,” Fule added. “It is clear, however, that as the enlargement process progresses, the dialogue should progress as well. It is clear that the EU expects solutions to be found. A number of politicians have already said they will not accept any new member that would not be at peace with its neighbors. I cannot say what the membership requirements will be in a few years, but I do not see Serbia in the European Union until the Kosovo issue is resolved,” he pointed out. Fule said that the Western Balkan countries had made progress and were all aspiring to become EU members, adding that the Union was committed to realizing the goal. Commenting on reforms that the Western Balkans needed, he especially pointed out judicial reform and added that the EU was based on the rule of law. “Public administration reform is an EU cornerstone and citizens benefit from it in everyday life,” the EU enlargement commissioner explained. Stefan Fule

Fule: No new conditions for Serbia

According to him, there is a possibility that Serbia will also get a date for the accession negotiations. Fule added, however, that he could not guarantee it because “everything is in Serbia’s hands”.

“My job is to support Serbia and objectively assess the progress that has been made. I hope and I want the progress to be made and to cover all important areas so we would be able to give positive opinion,” the EU enlargement commissioner stressed.

He said that “there are several issues regarding the Copenhagen criteria”.

“The Serbian authorities are aware of that. We have a regular dialogue in which we express support to Serbia’s progress. I am encouraged by the progress made so far,” Fule pointed out.

He added that Serbia had not reached the goal yet because there were still several issues that should be solved, certain laws that should be adopted and institutions created.

According to Fule, the European Commission (EC) is determined to help Serbia as much as possible to reach a point which would allow the EC give a positive recommendation.

Fule expressed expectation in Vienna Thursday that the Belgrade-Priština dialogue would yield concrete results in July.

He stressed that he saw Serbia as an EU member only after the Kosovo issue was resolved.

Addressing a panel discussion on European perspectives of the Balkan region held at the representative office of the European Commission (EC) in Vienna, the EU enlargement commissioner recalled that a total of four rounds of the dialogue had been held so far, which was significant as nobody had thought it was possible.

“I hope we will see concrete, pragmatic results in June that will improve the lives of people, particularly in the north of Kosovo,” he stressed.

“The enlargement process has different stages. In a time when not all EU member states recognize Kosovo independence we can hardly discuss the exact requirements by the EU. In the current stage, the EU member countries have said it was politically clear they wanted to see concrete results from the Belgrade-Priština dialogue before they accepted EC's recommendation,” Fule added.

“It is clear, however, that as the enlargement process progresses, the dialogue should progress as well. It is clear that the EU expects solutions to be found. A number of politicians have already said they will not accept any new member that would not be at peace with its neighbors. I cannot say what the membership requirements will be in a few years, but I do not see Serbia in the European Union until the Kosovo issue is resolved,” he pointed out.

Fule said that the Western Balkan countries had made progress and were all aspiring to become EU members, adding that the Union was committed to realizing the goal.

Commenting on reforms that the Western Balkans needed, he especially pointed out judicial reform and added that the EU was based on the rule of law.

“Public administration reform is an EU cornerstone and citizens benefit from it in everyday life,” the EU enlargement commissioner explained.