EU representative: We have no new requirements

Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Vincent Degert said on Tuesday there were no new requirements for Serbia on its path to EU accession. Degert told a conference by the non-governmental organization Confrontation Europe held in Belgrade that the EU was not constantly coming up with new requirements. EU representative: We have no new requirements “The agenda is clear, he asserted. The Copenhagen criteria have to be met, norms fulfilled and EU level reached,” he stated. “There are no new requirements,” Degert stressed, adding that the path was set and made up of stages. “The issue of Kosovo is still a problem for Serbia on its road to EU integration,” he pointed out. “EU did not invent the Kosovo issue in order to slow down EU integration,” he explained, adding that Brussels had suggested a method to regain momentum, and those were the talks between Belgrade and Pristina. “The EU has chosen to support the dialogue and make its contribution that way,” he noted. “The talks need further progress,” he remarked, adding that they were a way to build trust between the two sides. “The Copenhagen criteria are clear, and they state the rule of law is the basic issue for all those who wish to join the EU,” explained Degert. “Serbia, like all the countries of the region, is still far from fulfilling all the obligations in this field,” the EU official stated. Degert pointed to problems in the court system, citing slow processes as one of the problems and adding that it affected other areas. “The EU judiciary has plenty of criticism for Serbia,” he noted, naming the reappointment system for judges as a problem because it is not in line with EU standards. When it comes to the economy, Degert said there was little structural reform, adding that the restitution law was implemented only recently and that it would take many years to grant all the restitution requests. “Another problem is that large government companies, like the railways, have not been restructured,” he pointed out. “There are 600 companies that should be privatized. Those are unrealized assets that only cost the tax payers,” Degert added. Commenting on the liberalization of prices, he said he understood the needs for social amortization, but the parts of the society that could afford realistic prices were not paying them. “The EU is willing to help Serbia implement reforms, but it requires willingness from the national authorities as well, otherwise there can be no success,” Degert stated. He denied the EU suffered from enlargement fatigue, adding that the door remained open and that Brussels hoped Croatia's accession would mobilize the entire region. Serbia can progress further, according to Degert, who added that progress in the talks and normalization of relations with Pristina were a priority, along with all the others. Vincent Degert (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

EU representative: We have no new requirements

“The agenda is clear, he asserted. The Copenhagen criteria have to be met, norms fulfilled and EU level reached,” he stated.

“There are no new requirements,” Degert stressed, adding that the path was set and made up of stages.

“The issue of Kosovo is still a problem for Serbia on its road to EU integration,” he pointed out.

“EU did not invent the Kosovo issue in order to slow down EU integration,” he explained, adding that Brussels had suggested a method to regain momentum, and those were the talks between Belgrade and Priština.

“The EU has chosen to support the dialogue and make its contribution that way,” he noted.

“The talks need further progress,” he remarked, adding that they were a way to build trust between the two sides.

“The Copenhagen criteria are clear, and they state the rule of law is the basic issue for all those who wish to join the EU,” explained Degert.

“Serbia, like all the countries of the region, is still far from fulfilling all the obligations in this field,” the EU official stated.

Degert pointed to problems in the court system, citing slow processes as one of the problems and adding that it affected other areas.

“The EU judiciary has plenty of criticism for Serbia,” he noted, naming the reappointment system for judges as a problem because it is not in line with EU standards.

When it comes to the economy, Degert said there was little structural reform, adding that the restitution law was implemented only recently and that it would take many years to grant all the restitution requests.

“Another problem is that large government companies, like the railways, have not been restructured,” he pointed out.

“There are 600 companies that should be privatized. Those are unrealized assets that only cost the tax payers,” Degert added.

Commenting on the liberalization of prices, he said he understood the needs for social amortization, but the parts of the society that could afford realistic prices were not paying them.

“The EU is willing to help Serbia implement reforms, but it requires willingness from the national authorities as well, otherwise there can be no success,” Degert stated.

He denied the EU suffered from enlargement fatigue, adding that the door remained open and that Brussels hoped Croatia's accession would mobilize the entire region.

Serbia can progress further, according to Degert, who added that progress in the talks and normalization of relations with Priština were a priority, along with all the others.