EP official urges unfreezing of deal

Members of the European Parliament think that the Interim Trade Agreement between the EU and Serbia should be implemented as soon as possible. This is according to Doris Pack, who heads an EP delegation visiting Serbia, and also chairs this institution's Southeastern Europe delegation. EP official urges unfreezing of deal "We, the MEPs, are in favor of implementing the Interim Trade Agreement as soon as possible., We, as you know, have no jurisdiction in the matter, but we sincerely hope that this progress that Serbia has made will be one of the reasons that will spur others who are still having doubts," Pack was quoted as saying in Belgrade on Wednesday. After Serbian MPs and MEPs met for the second day today, Serbian Parliament European Integrations Committee President Laslo Varga confirmed that there was consensus on the need to unfreeze the agreement – a part of the SAA, signed in April and suspended immediately, when Brussels cited the need for Serbia to complete its Hague cooperation before it could be implemented. The two delegations reiterated their call for the agreement to be applied in a joint statement issued after the meeting. Also in Belgrade today, Pack met with First Deputy PM and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic , to discuss abolition of visas for Serbia's citizens, MUP said in a statement. Dacic informed the EP delegation about the activities so far related to meeting the criteria for the abolition of the visa regime imposed on Serbian nationals by the EU, and for including the country in the so-called White Schengen List. Pack underscored that Serbia had made progress on its way to the European Union, which was included in the European Commission's recent report, Tanjug says. She also said that the European parliament is "ready to do whatever necessary to help Serbia get included in the White Schengen List". During the meeting, the importance of regional cooperation, particularly in the area of cross-border police activities was underscored, the statement said. EU entry once conditions are met Earlier in the day, European Parliament officials were quoted as sayin in Belgrade that Serbia could receive EU candidate status if all the conditions, primarily Hague cooperation, are met. Environment Minister Oliver Dulic said that the Serbian government had great expectations of the Czech EU presidency that begins on January 1. After talks with his Czech colleagues, he voiced the hope that Prague would assist Serbia, both politically and practically, to acquire EU candidate statusi n 2009. Head of the European Commission Delegation to Serbia Josep Lloveras said that Serbia had great potential to progress down the road to EU integration, but that it was imperative to accelerate legislative activity. “All the indicators are that Serbia is ready to accelerate the EU integration process. We see that the Serbian government has already begun to apply some of our recommendations, such as accelerated enactment of the necessary laws, and changes in the most important areas like the courts and the rule of law. But it’s important to see further efforts, and enactment of laws in the field of combating corruption and organized crime,“ he stressed. Director of the Office for European Integration Milica Delevic expressed her hope that next year Serbia would devote more time to adopting laws, and that 2009 would be the year of transition from a stabilization to an association process. She said that she hoped the EU Council of Ministers would see Serbia’s association efforts and unfreeze application of the Interim Trade Agreement. Candidate status refers to Serbia without Kosovo European Parliament Rapporteur for Serbia Jelko Kacin, who is in Belgrade as a member of the EP delegation, on Wednesday stated that he would like to help Serbia on its way to the European Union, but underscored that the status of a candidate state for Serbia does not include Kosovo. "If Serbia believes and wants to start talks on its accession in the EU, then it is Serbia without Kosovo," said Kacin, according to a Tanjug news agency report. He added that he "always refers to Serbia without Kosovo", because he is "in charge for Serbia without Kosovo", which, the news agency further quoted the Slovenian EP official, is a separate problem. "I believe that at the moment there is no one in Serbia who believe that the status of a candidate state for Serbia would apply to Kosovo too," said he. Kacin added that Kosovo does not meet conditions to become an EU candidate, "either as a separate country or as part of Serbia".

EP official urges unfreezing of deal

"We, the MEPs, are in favor of implementing the Interim Trade Agreement as soon as possible., We, as you know, have no jurisdiction in the matter, but we sincerely hope that this progress that Serbia has made will be one of the reasons that will spur others who are still having doubts," Pack was quoted as saying in Belgrade on Wednesday.

After Serbian MPs and MEPs met for the second day today, Serbian Parliament European Integrations Committee President Laslo Varga confirmed that there was consensus on the need to unfreeze the agreement – a part of the SAA, signed in April and suspended immediately, when Brussels cited the need for Serbia to complete its Hague cooperation before it could be implemented.

The two delegations reiterated their call for the agreement to be applied in a joint statement issued after the meeting.

Also in Belgrade today, Pack met with First Deputy PM and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dačić , to discuss abolition of visas for Serbia's citizens, MUP said in a statement.

Dačić informed the EP delegation about the activities so far related to meeting the criteria for the abolition of the visa regime imposed on Serbian nationals by the EU, and for including the country in the so-called White Schengen List.

Pack underscored that Serbia had made progress on its way to the European Union, which was included in the European Commission's recent report, Tanjug says. She also said that the European parliament is "ready to do whatever necessary to help Serbia get included in the White Schengen List".

During the meeting, the importance of regional cooperation, particularly in the area of cross-border police activities was underscored, the statement said.

EU entry once conditions are met

Earlier in the day, European Parliament officials were quoted as sayin in Belgrade that Serbia could receive EU candidate status if all the conditions, primarily Hague cooperation, are met.

Environment Minister Oliver Dulić said that the Serbian government had great expectations of the Czech EU presidency that begins on January 1.

After talks with his Czech colleagues, he voiced the hope that Prague would assist Serbia, both politically and practically, to acquire EU candidate statusi n 2009.

Head of the European Commission Delegation to Serbia Josep Lloveras said that Serbia had great potential to progress down the road to EU integration, but that it was imperative to accelerate legislative activity.

“All the indicators are that Serbia is ready to accelerate the EU integration process. We see that the Serbian government has already begun to apply some of our recommendations, such as accelerated enactment of the necessary laws, and changes in the most important areas like the courts and the rule of law. But it’s important to see further efforts, and enactment of laws in the field of combating corruption and organized crime,“ he stressed.

Director of the Office for European Integration Milica Delević expressed her hope that next year Serbia would devote more time to adopting laws, and that 2009 would be the year of transition from a stabilization to an association process.

She said that she hoped the EU Council of Ministers would see Serbia’s association efforts and unfreeze application of the Interim Trade Agreement.

Candidate status refers to Serbia without Kosovo

European Parliament Rapporteur for Serbia Jelko Kacin, who is in Belgrade as a member of the EP delegation, on Wednesday stated that he would like to help Serbia on its way to the European Union, but underscored that the status of a candidate state for Serbia does not include Kosovo.

"If Serbia believes and wants to start talks on its accession in the EU, then it is Serbia without Kosovo," said Kacin, according to a Tanjug news agency report.

He added that he "always refers to Serbia without Kosovo", because he is "in charge for Serbia without Kosovo", which, the news agency further quoted the Slovenian EP official, is a separate problem.

"I believe that at the moment there is no one in Serbia who believe that the status of a candidate state for Serbia would apply to Kosovo too," said he.

Kacin added that Kosovo does not meet conditions to become an EU candidate, "either as a separate country or as part of Serbia".