| EU hopes for pro-European cabinet |
| 26 May 2008 | 21:27
| Source:
Tanjug |
BRUSSELS --
The EU Council of Ministers adopted conclusions today in Brussels voicing hope that Serbia's new government will have "a clear European agenda".
The ministers also said they hoped this will happen “soon”.
The council first expressed satisfaction with “the peaceful conduct of the elections in Serbia, which were carried out in a free and democratic manner.”
A statement from the meeting added that the council “welcomed the strong support for the pro-European forces and hoped that a new government with a clear European agenda will soon be formed and engage constructively in the stabilization and association process,” the conclusions pointed out.
Recalling the decisions mentioned in its April 29 conclusions when the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) was signed, “the council reiterated that Serbia will be able to advance further on its EU path, including the candidate status, once the necessary conditions are met.”
These conclusions state that the SAA and accompanying interim agreement will come into force when the EU assesses that the Belgrade authorities fully cooperate with the Hague Tribunal.
Meanwhile, also in Brussels today, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said that he believes the new Serbian government should be formed by the coalition gathered around President Boris Tadić's party, "despite mathematical problems", which he hopes will be overcome, Tanjug news agency said.
"We still hope that a good Serbian government will be formed," Rupel said at a press conference, following the Council of Ministers meeting.
Asked what he meant by "a good Serbia's government", Rupel said that "all governments are good in principle - that is, any which has a majority in the parliament".
"But, the EU backed pro-European forces and we want to see a pro-European government, which would support progress towards the EU, sign agreements with the EU and harmonize the legal system with the EU," he said.
"There are certain problems with the mathematics, but we hope that Tadić would succeed to overcome those problems," the Slovenian foreign minister added, referring to the number of parliamentary mandates necessary to form a government in Serbia.
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