"Sustainable progress in relations with Kosovo"

The EU enlargement commissioner says the key priority on Serbia's EU path lies in the achievement of clear and sustainable progress "in relations with Kosovo". Since Serbia is now a candidate for the EU, we should clearly and transparently inform the country what it is expected to do, Stefan Fule said after the meeting with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic whose inauguration brought him to Belgrade. "Sustainable progress in relations with Kosovo" Fule said that there is ambition for Serbia to open accession talks with the EU by the end of the year, and that this is the reason why not a single hour or day must be lost. He reiterated that the new government needs to be constituted as soon as possible. The EU Council pointed to five tangible points which Serbia needs to achieve, Fule said and added that nobody can have a different interpretation. Another point lies in the expectation for the reform process to continue and react positively to launched reforms, he said. We need to invest fresh efforts to ensure a thorough judiciary reform, continuation of the fight against corruption, development of the institution of the ombudsman and business environment, Fule said. The EU expects Serbia to play an important role in regional cooperation and head the reconciliation process in the region, he said. The EU enlargement commissioner noted that he came to attend the inauguration and back Serbia on its EU path because, as he said, 'we share the dream of seeing Serbia in Europe'. Welcoming Fule as "Serbia's tested and tried friend", Nikolic said that the EU enlargement commissioner showed commitment to the Serb Progressive Party (SNS) back when the party was still a part of the opposition, and added that he never had any political bias or interfered with the parties that would constitute the Serbian government. Nikolic welcomed Fule's commitment to Serbia's goal of becoming a member of the EU. When asked whether Kosovo and Metohija was mentioned as a condition for Serbia's further progress toward the EU in the talks, Nikolic said that he never heard Fule mention such a condition and added that he would say so if he had. We discussed the process of Belgrade-Pristina talks which should help us resolve the issue, Nikolic said and underscored that the talks should resolve the issues in a way that would be acceptable for all sides in the negotiations. The meeting in Belgrade on Monday (Beta) Tanjug

"Sustainable progress in relations with Kosovo"

Fule said that there is ambition for Serbia to open accession talks with the EU by the end of the year, and that this is the reason why not a single hour or day must be lost. He reiterated that the new government needs to be constituted as soon as possible.

The EU Council pointed to five tangible points which Serbia needs to achieve, Fule said and added that nobody can have a different interpretation.

Another point lies in the expectation for the reform process to continue and react positively to launched reforms, he said.

We need to invest fresh efforts to ensure a thorough judiciary reform, continuation of the fight against corruption, development of the institution of the ombudsman and business environment, Fule said.

The EU expects Serbia to play an important role in regional cooperation and head the reconciliation process in the region, he said.

The EU enlargement commissioner noted that he came to attend the inauguration and back Serbia on its EU path because, as he said, 'we share the dream of seeing Serbia in Europe'.

Welcoming Fule as "Serbia's tested and tried friend", Nikolić said that the EU enlargement commissioner showed commitment to the Serb Progressive Party (SNS) back when the party was still a part of the opposition, and added that he never had any political bias or interfered with the parties that would constitute the Serbian government.

Nikolić welcomed Fule's commitment to Serbia's goal of becoming a member of the EU.

When asked whether Kosovo and Metohija was mentioned as a condition for Serbia's further progress toward the EU in the talks, Nikolić said that he never heard Fule mention such a condition and added that he would say so if he had.

We discussed the process of Belgrade-Priština talks which should help us resolve the issue, Nikolić said and underscored that the talks should resolve the issues in a way that would be acceptable for all sides in the negotiations.