"Government in Belgrade must not waste time"

EU senior official Miroslav Lajcak says the reconstructed government in Belgrade must not waste time in continuing reforms. The former Slovak foreign minister also announced in Brussels on Wednesday that the European Commission will adopt an "opinion" in autumn, which will be decisive for Serbia's EU membership candidacy. "Government in Belgrade must not waste time" In his speech and during a debate in the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Lajcak reiterated that the Commission will adopt an assessment of Serbia in the fall, as part of the "strategy of EU enlargement for 2011, which is important for progressing on the way to the European Union." Lajcak, the executive director for the east of Europe and the Western Balkans in the European External Action Service (EEAS), added that the EU "is encouraging Serbia to continue its cooperation with the EULEX mission, especially regarding northern Kosovo." "Full cooperation with the Hague tribunal remains the key condition for EU membership, and we are welcoming the constructive dialog in which both sides are engaged," Lajcak stressed. He noted that, from the viewpoint of regional stability, dialog is the most important thing for the EU, recalling that the talks between Belgrade and Pristina began last month. The purpose of the European Union is for progress to be made on the EU road for both sides and for the lives of ordinary people to be improved, he said. Asked why the talks' agenda did not include the issue of Kosovo's partition - "if such a deal is a possible topic in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict" - Lajcak said that this was "not a subject of talks for the EU". He also asserted that the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX, had started an investigation into organ trafficking allegations. Council of Europe Rapporter Dick Marty's report published late last year dealt with the subject, naming former members of the ethnic Albanian KLA as perpetrators of atrocities that included kidnappings of Serb and other civilians and trade in their body parts. Lajcak said EULEX "on numerous occasions talked with Marty and some witnesses". Lajcak also stated that the EU had set aside "funds, manpower and a special witness protection unit in order to protect witnesses in the investigation". Miroslav Lajcak (Tanjug, file)

"Government in Belgrade must not waste time"

In his speech and during a debate in the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Lajčak reiterated that the Commission will adopt an assessment of Serbia in the fall, as part of the "strategy of EU enlargement for 2011, which is important for progressing on the way to the European Union."

Lajčak, the executive director for the east of Europe and the Western Balkans in the European External Action Service (EEAS), added that the EU "is encouraging Serbia to continue its cooperation with the EULEX mission, especially regarding northern Kosovo."

"Full cooperation with the Hague tribunal remains the key condition for EU membership, and we are welcoming the constructive dialog in which both sides are engaged," Lajčak stressed.

He noted that, from the viewpoint of regional stability, dialog is the most important thing for the EU, recalling that the talks between Belgrade and Priština began last month. The purpose of the European Union is for progress to be made on the EU road for both sides and for the lives of ordinary people to be improved, he said.

Asked why the talks' agenda did not include the issue of Kosovo's partition - "if such a deal is a possible topic in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict" - Lajčak said that this was "not a subject of talks for the EU".

He also asserted that the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX, had started an investigation into organ trafficking allegations.

Council of Europe Rapporter Dick Marty's report published late last year dealt with the subject, naming former members of the ethnic Albanian KLA as perpetrators of atrocities that included kidnappings of Serb and other civilians and trade in their body parts.

Lajčak said EULEX "on numerous occasions talked with Marty and some witnesses".

Lajčak also stated that the EU had set aside "funds, manpower and a special witness protection unit in order to protect witnesses in the investigation".