Implementation of agreement is crucial, Fule says

BELGRADE EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule says adoption of a plan for the implementation of the Brussels agreement is important for Serbia’s EU integration. “We have only been helping since the beginning and Belgrade and Pristina are real owners of the process,” he told Radio Free Europe. Implementation of agreement is crucial, Fule says Fule noted that the EU wanted to help implement the agreement despite disagreements. “The implementation plan is extremely important, just like it is important for Belgrade and Pristina to start the implementation,” he said and added that it was especially important for Belgrade because EU member states would decide on the start of Serbia’s EU accession negotiations in June. Fule explained that it was very important for the member states to see that the plan was adopted and that first steps in the implementations were made. When asked if one should expect EU member state that had not recognized Kosovo’s independence to do so soon, he said that the decision was up to those countries. The enlargement commissioner did not want to speculate when Serbia could become a full-fledged EU member and stressed that it had taken Croatia more than 10 years to join the EU. “You gave administration in Serbia which is well known for its efficiency on one side and the work regarding the enlargement is getting more demanding on the other,” Fule said, adding that the rules were not changing but that the existing ones needed to be strictly respected. Stefan Fule (Beta, file) Tanjug Radio Free Europe

Implementation of agreement is crucial, Fule says

Fule noted that the EU wanted to help implement the agreement despite disagreements.

“The implementation plan is extremely important, just like it is important for Belgrade and Priština to start the implementation,” he said and added that it was especially important for Belgrade because EU member states would decide on the start of Serbia’s EU accession negotiations in June.

Fule explained that it was very important for the member states to see that the plan was adopted and that first steps in the implementations were made.

When asked if one should expect EU member state that had not recognized Kosovo’s independence to do so soon, he said that the decision was up to those countries.

The enlargement commissioner did not want to speculate when Serbia could become a full-fledged EU member and stressed that it had taken Croatia more than 10 years to join the EU.

“You gave administration in Serbia which is well known for its efficiency on one side and the work regarding the enlargement is getting more demanding on the other,” Fule said, adding that the rules were not changing but that the existing ones needed to be strictly respected.