EU talks date “depends on EC and Ashton”

BELGRADE The European Council will make a decision on Serbia’s date for the start of the accession talks based on two reports, daily Blic writes. European Commission's Director General for Enlargement Stefano Sanino told the daily that EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton would submit a report on the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, while the European Commission (EC) would submit a report on the judicial reform, fulfillment of the Copenhagen criteria and other reforms. EU talks date “depends on EC and Ashton” Sanino believes that April is crucial for a decision on Serbia’s EU talks date which means that Belgrade’s negotiating team has a month and a half to reach an agreement on open issues with Pristina, primarily on abolition of parallel institutions and security structures in northern Kosovo. Belgrade and Pristina should also determine jurisdiction of a community of Serb municipalities and find a way to implement agreements that have already been reached. Blic writes that according to unofficial information Serbian and Kosovo PMs Ivica Dacic and Hashim Thaci during the fifth round of the dialogue reached an agreement on how to transform police and courts. According to the daily, this was something Germany had insisted on but the problem is that the plan should be implemented by EULEX that Serbs do not trust. Dacic and Thaci also agreed to hold elections in Serb municipalities by the end of the year. However, Kosovo Serbs are opposed to the idea. Blic points out that Belgrade and Pristina are expected to reach two new agreements – on electricity and area code but these two issues will be hard to resolve bearing in mind that they are strategic resources that Serbia has been investing in for years and it is still repaying loans. When asked whether an agreement between Belgrade and Pristina would be signed, Sanino said that it depended solely on Ashton. Stefano Sanino (Beta/Media Center) Blic Tanjug

EU talks date “depends on EC and Ashton”

Sanino believes that April is crucial for a decision on Serbia’s EU talks date which means that Belgrade’s negotiating team has a month and a half to reach an agreement on open issues with Priština, primarily on abolition of parallel institutions and security structures in northern Kosovo.

Belgrade and Priština should also determine jurisdiction of a community of Serb municipalities and find a way to implement agreements that have already been reached.

Blic writes that according to unofficial information Serbian and Kosovo PMs Ivica Dačić and Hashim Thaci during the fifth round of the dialogue reached an agreement on how to transform police and courts. According to the daily, this was something Germany had insisted on but the problem is that the plan should be implemented by EULEX that Serbs do not trust.

Dačić and Thaci also agreed to hold elections in Serb municipalities by the end of the year. However, Kosovo Serbs are opposed to the idea.

Blic points out that Belgrade and Priština are expected to reach two new agreements – on electricity and area code but these two issues will be hard to resolve bearing in mind that they are strategic resources that Serbia has been investing in for years and it is still repaying loans.

When asked whether an agreement between Belgrade and Priština would be signed, Sanino said that it depended solely on Ashton.