EP hails unilateral SAA implementation

European Parliament (EP) Rapporteur Jelko Kacin has commended Serbia’s decision to implement the Interim Agreement with the EU unilaterally. Kacin said that it might help Holland shift its position on Serbian EU integration. EP hails unilateral SAA implementation “What is heartening is the government’s decision for the trade part of the agreement to come into force unilaterally on January 1, 2009, which is a very powerful message to the Dutch government that there is time until that date for them to change their mind and assess overall progress,“ said Kacin. “And then for Holland to give a positive opinion and the green light for application of the agreement on both sides,“ added the rapporteur. He said yesterday that he had spoken to War Crimes Prosecution spokesman Bruno Vekaric about the prosecution’s efforts to establish full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal in order for this to be acknowledged not only by Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz, but by the Dutch government too. Kacin added that it was important to convince France, the EU presiding country, to submit the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) to the EP for ratification. “Add to that my report on Serbia’s progress, which has undoubtedly improved in the meantime, and on that basis, we want to enact a resolution in the EP that gives instructions to the parliamentary speaker as to what still needs to be done to facilitate Serbian EU integration,“ said the rapporteur. Jelko Kacin (FoNet, archive)

EP hails unilateral SAA implementation

“What is heartening is the government’s decision for the trade part of the agreement to come into force unilaterally on January 1, 2009, which is a very powerful message to the Dutch government that there is time until that date for them to change their mind and assess overall progress,“ said Kacin.

“And then for Holland to give a positive opinion and the green light for application of the agreement on both sides,“ added the rapporteur.

He said yesterday that he had spoken to War Crimes Prosecution spokesman Bruno Vekarić about the prosecution’s efforts to establish full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal in order for this to be acknowledged not only by Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz, but by the Dutch government too.

Kacin added that it was important to convince France, the EU presiding country, to submit the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) to the EP for ratification.

“Add to that my report on Serbia’s progress, which has undoubtedly improved in the meantime, and on that basis, we want to enact a resolution in the EP that gives instructions to the parliamentary speaker as to what still needs to be done to facilitate Serbian EU integration,“ said the rapporteur.