"Serbia continues toward EU despite skeptics"

BELGRADE Serbia will press on with its bid to join the EU despite an increasing number of EU-skeptics in the country, says President Tomislav Nikolic. He blamed "primarily the economic crisis" for the growing number of Serbians who do not support the integration. "Serbia continues toward EU despite skeptics" In a statement ahead of the start of his visit to Hungary, reported by the RTV television station, Nikolic stressed that the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina was in the interest of all citizens of Serbia, primarily Serbs who live in Kosovo and Metohija. He added that this was "also in the interest of all of southeastern Europe". The president announced that the authorities would continue their campaign against crime and corruption, reforms in the judicial system, and fight to bring greater freedom to the media and better climate for investors. Nikolic will meet with his Hungarian counterpart Janos Ader and other top officials during his two-day visit to Budapest, and also plans to tour a Serb kindergarten and school in that city. Tomislav Nikolic (Tanjug, file) "Hungary supports Serbia on its EU path" Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has told visiting Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic that the government in Budapest is there to support Serbia's EU membership bid, Hungarian prime minister's spokesman, Bertalan Havasi, has told the MTI news agency. Nikolic arrived in Hungary and had an informal dinner with Orban on Monday evening. According to Havasi, Orban and Nikolic agreed that the relations between the two countries had strategic significance and that joint efforts would be made to further the cooperation. Orban and Nikolic also agreed on the need to pass legislation that would facilitate border cooperation. At the start the official part of his visit to Hungary, Nikolic will be greeted with the highest state honors and meet with Hungarian President Janos Ader on Tuesday. President Nikolic will also meet with Hungarian Parliament Speaker Laszlo Kover and representatives of the Serb national minority. Tanjug

"Serbia continues toward EU despite skeptics"

In a statement ahead of the start of his visit to Hungary, reported by the RTV television station, Nikolić stressed that the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Priština was in the interest of all citizens of Serbia, primarily Serbs who live in Kosovo and Metohija.

He added that this was "also in the interest of all of southeastern Europe".

The president announced that the authorities would continue their campaign against crime and corruption, reforms in the judicial system, and fight to bring greater freedom to the media and better climate for investors.

Nikolić will meet with his Hungarian counterpart Janos Ader and other top officials during his two-day visit to Budapest, and also plans to tour a Serb kindergarten and school in that city.

"Hungary supports Serbia on its EU path"

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has told visiting Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić that the government in Budapest is there to support Serbia's EU membership bid, Hungarian prime minister's spokesman, Bertalan Havasi, has told the MTI news agency.

Nikolić arrived in Hungary and had an informal dinner with Orban on Monday evening.

According to Havasi, Orban and Nikolić agreed that the relations between the two countries had strategic significance and that joint efforts would be made to further the cooperation.

Orban and Nikolić also agreed on the need to pass legislation that would facilitate border cooperation.

At the start the official part of his visit to Hungary, Nikolić will be greeted with the highest state honors and meet with Hungarian President Janos Ader on Tuesday.

President Nikolić will also meet with Hungarian Parliament Speaker Laszlo Kover and representatives of the Serb national minority.