“Serbia likely to get conditional EU talks date”

BELGRADE European Parliament (EP) Rapporteur for Serbia Jelko Kacin has stated that the “Montenegrin scenario” is very likely for Serbia. He added that the exact date for the start of the EU negotiations would be determined in March or June 2013. “Serbia likely to get conditional EU talks date” “At the moment, there is no decision of the European Council and member states are still harmonizing their joint views,” Kacin told daily Politika. “Montenegro got the so-called conditional date for the beginning of the EU negotiations in December 2011, meaning it was supposed to fulfill some concrete criteria in order to open the negotiations in June 2012. Once it kept its promises, it happened. Such scenario is very likely in Serbia’s case as well,” he explained. Commenting on a draft resolution on Serbia, which was prepared in the EP, Kacin said that the resolution was primarily a “message to Serbia, its citizens and government, a message of encouragement that at the same time points to the biggest challenges that Serbia faces, primarily in the field of rule of law, freedom of media and minority rights”. “Belgrade’s role is to convince the EU members states with concrete results as soon as possible that Serbia is ready to start the negotiations,” he was quoted as saying. The EP rapporteur stressed that it was necessary to continue full implementation of agreements reached between Belgrade and Pristina. “Opening of liaison offices in Belgrade and Pristina will largely make the communication easier and unburden political relations. A meeting between presidents of Serbia and Kosovo would also be a big step forward that would show that the normalization process is irreversible. I truly hope that the presidents will meet this year. There is also missing persons issue, which is one of the topics of the dialogue,” Kacin explained. “However, Serbia needs to make a maximal effort to bring order into its judiciary and prosecution, make adequate changes of the Criminal Code and work on establishing true rule of law in the country. This is just as important for Serbia as normalization of relations with Kosovo. Only a professional and independent judiciary can tackle systemic corruption. Concrete results here are also necessary, especially when it comes to high corruption cases,” he added. Kacin pointed out that regional cooperation remained a cornerstone of the European integration. Jelko Kacin (Beta, file) Politika Tanjug

“Serbia likely to get conditional EU talks date”

“At the moment, there is no decision of the European Council and member states are still harmonizing their joint views,” Kacin told daily Politika.

“Montenegro got the so-called conditional date for the beginning of the EU negotiations in December 2011, meaning it was supposed to fulfill some concrete criteria in order to open the negotiations in June 2012. Once it kept its promises, it happened. Such scenario is very likely in Serbia’s case as well,” he explained.

Commenting on a draft resolution on Serbia, which was prepared in the EP, Kacin said that the resolution was primarily a “message to Serbia, its citizens and government, a message of encouragement that at the same time points to the biggest challenges that Serbia faces, primarily in the field of rule of law, freedom of media and minority rights”.

“Belgrade’s role is to convince the EU members states with concrete results as soon as possible that Serbia is ready to start the negotiations,” he was quoted as saying.

The EP rapporteur stressed that it was necessary to continue full implementation of agreements reached between Belgrade and Priština.

“Opening of liaison offices in Belgrade and Priština will largely make the communication easier and unburden political relations. A meeting between presidents of Serbia and Kosovo would also be a big step forward that would show that the normalization process is irreversible. I truly hope that the presidents will meet this year. There is also missing persons issue, which is one of the topics of the dialogue,” Kacin explained.

“However, Serbia needs to make a maximal effort to bring order into its judiciary and prosecution, make adequate changes of the Criminal Code and work on establishing true rule of law in the country. This is just as important for Serbia as normalization of relations with Kosovo. Only a professional and independent judiciary can tackle systemic corruption. Concrete results here are also necessary, especially when it comes to high corruption cases,” he added.

Kacin pointed out that regional cooperation remained a cornerstone of the European integration.