"Serbia now closer to EU candidacy"

U.S. analyst Daniel Serwer said that the arrest of the last remaining Hague fugitive Goran Hadzic will bring Serbia closer to the EU. But he noted that on that road the country was bound to face new challenges. "Serbia now closer to EU candidacy" Underlining that Serbia is now closer to the EU candidacy than before, Serwer told the Voice of America that the country will have to work hard in order to secure the candidate status, but that the arrest of Hadzic is an important piece of that jigsaw puzzle because the Netherlands insisted on the country's cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. He pointed out that Serbia will face a number of conditions on its road towards the EU membership, and that would be a rather lengthy process, during which the country will have to adjust its administration, as well as legal and economic systems to the EU standards. One of these prerequisites is that Serbia should foster good relations with all neighbors, and that is particularly important with respect to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo since there are still certain problems in both directions, Serwer said.

"Serbia now closer to EU candidacy"

Underlining that Serbia is now closer to the EU candidacy than before, Serwer told the Voice of America that the country will have to work hard in order to secure the candidate status, but that the arrest of Hadžić is an important piece of that jigsaw puzzle because the Netherlands insisted on the country's cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.

He pointed out that Serbia will face a number of conditions on its road towards the EU membership, and that would be a rather lengthy process, during which the country will have to adjust its administration, as well as legal and economic systems to the EU standards.

One of these prerequisites is that Serbia should foster good relations with all neighbors, and that is particularly important with respect to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo since there are still certain problems in both directions, Serwer said.