Serbia deserves candidate status in March – EP president

Newly-elected European Parliament (EP) President Martin Schulz has stated that Serbia deserves to be granted the EU candidate status in March. Schulz said that the conditions laid in the process of European integration had to be met. Serbia deserves candidate status in March – EP president “The European Commission, as the EU's executive body, recommended that Serbia be given the status. However, the final decision has to be made unanimously by all EU leaders, he said, adding that it is soon to speculate on whether the unanimity will be reached in March. I am completely sure that the majority in the EP will give their consent and support the candidate status for Serbia,” Schulz told Belgrade-based daily Vecernje novosti. “The pace of accession depends on many factors, above all on how fast Serbia will continue with political and free market reforms, as well as on its constructive role in the region. I would like to see Serbia as an EU member as soon as possible, though this will not happen in the near future,” he said. Schulz pointed out that with President Boris Tadic Serbia had made some great strides on its EU path. “You caught Karadzic, Mladic and Hadzic, indicted by the UN war crimes court. You adopted the resolution on Srebrenica. These were not easy decisions,” he was quoted as saying. The EP president also said that Serbia had achieved great progress in view of the reform of its judicial system, heading towards a functional market economy, fighting corruption and strengthening the rule of law. “You should continue with all the reforms regardless of the plans about the EU membership,” he noted. According to Schulz, Serbia can increase the possibility of becoming an EU candidate in March by making further progress in the normalization of relations with Pristina. “The dialogue with Kosovo is an important factor of Serbia's accession path. The two parties should discuss very concrete issues, such as recognizing university diplomas, energy, trade and telecommunications. Belgrade and Pristina should also fully implement the agreements reached in the dialogue mediated by the EU,” the EP president pointed out. When asked whether the model of "the two Germanies" is acceptable as a solution to the Kosovo issue, Schulz replied that this was an invalid and inappropriate comparison. “The historical, political and diplomatic context is pretty much different. What is important is for Serbia and Kosovo to gradually normalize mutual relations in a pragmatic way,” he explained. Martin Shultz (novosti.rs) Tanjug Vecernje novosti

Serbia deserves candidate status in March – EP president

“The European Commission, as the EU's executive body, recommended that Serbia be given the status. However, the final decision has to be made unanimously by all EU leaders, he said, adding that it is soon to speculate on whether the unanimity will be reached in March. I am completely sure that the majority in the EP will give their consent and support the candidate status for Serbia,” Schulz told Belgrade-based daily Večernje novosti.

“The pace of accession depends on many factors, above all on how fast Serbia will continue with political and free market reforms, as well as on its constructive role in the region. I would like to see Serbia as an EU member as soon as possible, though this will not happen in the near future,” he said.

Schulz pointed out that with President Boris Tadić Serbia had made some great strides on its EU path.

“You caught Karadžić, Mladić and Hadžić, indicted by the UN war crimes court. You adopted the resolution on Srebrenica. These were not easy decisions,” he was quoted as saying.

The EP president also said that Serbia had achieved great progress in view of the reform of its judicial system, heading towards a functional market economy, fighting corruption and strengthening the rule of law.

“You should continue with all the reforms regardless of the plans about the EU membership,” he noted.

According to Schulz, Serbia can increase the possibility of becoming an EU candidate in March by making further progress in the normalization of relations with Priština.

“The dialogue with Kosovo is an important factor of Serbia's accession path. The two parties should discuss very concrete issues, such as recognizing university diplomas, energy, trade and telecommunications. Belgrade and Priština should also fully implement the agreements reached in the dialogue mediated by the EU,” the EP president pointed out.

When asked whether the model of "the two Germanies" is acceptable as a solution to the Kosovo issue, Schulz replied that this was an invalid and inappropriate comparison.

“The historical, political and diplomatic context is pretty much different. What is important is for Serbia and Kosovo to gradually normalize mutual relations in a pragmatic way,” he explained.