“Spain to complete Serbian SAA ratification”

The Spanish parliament in May completed “90 percent of work” on the ratification of Serbia's Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with this EU. This came as a gesture of strong support for Serbia in the EU integration process, Belgrade-based daily Danas writes today. “Spain to complete Serbian SAA ratification” “The only thing left for the Spanish parliament to do is what it cannot do without being given the green light from Brussels, and that is to send the instrument of ratification to the Council of Ministers. Spain will do that immediately after the SAA is unblocked, which is expected to be on Monday,” the newspaper says. According to the report, there are other EU states, Italy among them, that have begun ratifying the SAA with Serbia, “but none of have progressed as far in the process as Spain”. Meantime, diplomatic sources, continued the daily, “confirmed that the date when Serbia will acquire the candidacy status depends on Belgrade's actions after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) gives its opinion on the legality of Kosovo's (unilateral) independence (declaration)”. "This means that if Serbia keeps irritating those EU member states which have recognized Kosovo and insisting on new negotiations before the UN, the country's EU candidacy will also be on thin ice," wrote the newspaper. Brussels and Belgrade signed the SAA in the spring of 2008, but the agreement was immediately suspended pending Belgrade's full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, it was said at the time. “Very soon, in fall” Meanwhile, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic, who is today in Luxembourg, stated that the agenda of the Monday meeting of the EU foreign ministers will not include the issue of Serbia's EU membership application, since the member states have not reached a consensus yet, adding that this will be tabled “very soon, in the fall”. “I will informally hand in to EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele 4,400 pages of our responses to the answers included in the questionnaires that our neighbors were given when their readiness to become EU member states was examined,” Djelic stated for Belgrade-based daily Blic. Asked which country was the greatest obstacle on Serbia's EU path, Djelic said that it was up to Serbia to do everything it can so that the EU member states, which were in favor of Serbia's EU integration process, reach the necessary consensus. Djelic stated that the recent visit of Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz to Belgrade was successful, adding that this gives us hope that the ratification process of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) would be initiated and thus provide the EU associate membership status to our country. “However, nothing is definite until the Council renders a decision. That is the reason why we are going to Luxembourg to lobby for Serbia by the very last moment,” Djelic stated. Bozidar Djelic (FoNet, file)

“Spain to complete Serbian SAA ratification”

“The only thing left for the Spanish parliament to do is what it cannot do without being given the green light from Brussels, and that is to send the instrument of ratification to the Council of Ministers. Spain will do that immediately after the SAA is unblocked, which is expected to be on Monday,” the newspaper says.

According to the report, there are other EU states, Italy among them, that have begun ratifying the SAA with Serbia, “but none of have progressed as far in the process as Spain”.

Meantime, diplomatic sources, continued the daily, “confirmed that the date when Serbia will acquire the candidacy status depends on Belgrade's actions after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) gives its opinion on the legality of Kosovo's (unilateral) independence (declaration)”.

"This means that if Serbia keeps irritating those EU member states which have recognized Kosovo and insisting on new negotiations before the UN, the country's EU candidacy will also be on thin ice," wrote the newspaper.

Brussels and Belgrade signed the SAA in the spring of 2008, but the agreement was immediately suspended pending Belgrade's full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, it was said at the time.

“Very soon, in fall”

Meanwhile, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić, who is today in Luxembourg, stated that the agenda of the Monday meeting of the EU foreign ministers will not include the issue of Serbia's EU membership application, since the member states have not reached a consensus yet, adding that this will be tabled “very soon, in the fall”.

“I will informally hand in to EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele 4,400 pages of our responses to the answers included in the questionnaires that our neighbors were given when their readiness to become EU member states was examined,” Đelić stated for Belgrade-based daily Blic.

Asked which country was the greatest obstacle on Serbia's EU path, Đelić said that it was up to Serbia to do everything it can so that the EU member states, which were in favor of Serbia's EU integration process, reach the necessary consensus.

Đelić stated that the recent visit of Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz to Belgrade was successful, adding that this gives us hope that the ratification process of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) would be initiated and thus provide the EU associate membership status to our country.

“However, nothing is definite until the Council renders a decision. That is the reason why we are going to Luxembourg to lobby for Serbia by the very last moment,” Đelić stated.