Serbia stalls on road to EU

Serbia's road toward the EU has stalled with the SAA still suspended, although it was signed last April. Thee agreement's implementation is conditioned with Belgrade's full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, i.e. with the fact that former Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic, indicted by this court for war crimes, is still at large. Serbia stalls on road to EU Holland is insisting that Mladic be arrested in order for the SAA, including its interim trade provisions, to be implemented. Under such circumstances, and with the EU's preoccupation with its own problems, the question remains of how realistic the country's EU integration goals for 2009 really are. Brussels sees Serbia's accelerated integration as part of the Western Balkans package, but according to Political Science Faculty professor Jovan Teokarevic, expectations should not be raised this year. "I think that 2009 will be more an announcement of big things as far as the Western Balkans' EU integration goes, than a year of great results." "What I mean are primarily the plans of the Western Balkans' countries to apply for EU membership although not fully prepared," he said. Teokarovic added that he is uncertain how many countries will do that, but that "some announcements are showing that Serbia will certainly do that, perhaps even Bosnia and Albania". Politicians in Serbia have already announced such a possibility. Deputy PM Bozidar Djelic's EU integrations assistant Ksenija Milivojevic says that 2009 will be crucial for Serbia's integration. "It's the phase of acquiring candidate status for the Western Balkans countries and the last phase before becoming EU members, and that is slow movement toward membership negotiations," according to her. Milivojevic added that it is "realistic to expect that they will all, including Serbia, apply in 2009". Another issue will be the liberalization of the visa regime the EU has imposed on Serbian citizens. Some announcements, however, say that Serbia's inclusion to the so-called white Schengen list will not be possible for another year.

Serbia stalls on road to EU

Holland is insisting that Mladić be arrested in order for the SAA, including its interim trade provisions, to be implemented.

Under such circumstances, and with the EU's preoccupation with its own problems, the question remains of how realistic the country's EU integration goals for 2009 really are.

Brussels sees Serbia's accelerated integration as part of the Western Balkans package, but according to Political Science Faculty professor Jovan Teokarević, expectations should not be raised this year.

"I think that 2009 will be more an announcement of big things as far as the Western Balkans' EU integration goes, than a year of great results."

"What I mean are primarily the plans of the Western Balkans' countries to apply for EU membership although not fully prepared," he said.

Teokarović added that he is uncertain how many countries will do that, but that "some announcements are showing that Serbia will certainly do that, perhaps even Bosnia and Albania".

Politicians in Serbia have already announced such a possibility.

Deputy PM Božidar Đelić's EU integrations assistant Ksenija Milivojević says that 2009 will be crucial for Serbia's integration.

"It's the phase of acquiring candidate status for the Western Balkans countries and the last phase before becoming EU members, and that is slow movement toward membership negotiations," according to her.

Milivojević added that it is "realistic to expect that they will all, including Serbia, apply in 2009".

Another issue will be the liberalization of the visa regime the EU has imposed on Serbian citizens.

Some announcements, however, say that Serbia's inclusion to the so-called white Schengen list will not be possible for another year.