“Serbia must focus on obligations"

President Boris Tadic said that Serbia needs to focus on its obligations and convince others that the country is making progress in its EU integration. Serbia should not use the “Calimera syndrome,” according to which everyone else is to blame, Tadic told daily Vecernje Novosti. “Serbia must focus on obligations" He said that officials should be slow to announce the end of the economic crisis, stating that there is no one that can see when its consequences will end and how long it will last. However, he said that there is no doubt that the financial situation has improved in the last quarter of the year. “There is optimism, the light at the end of the tunnel is visible, but there is a lot of work to be done still. The weaknesses of our economy have been exposed in the crisis, and that is why this is an opportunity to improve on all these things,” Tadic said. He said that since Serbia was able to keep its composure over visa liberalization, the same should be done as far as the unfreezing of the interim trade agreement is concerned. Tadic said that European officials are discussing the possibility, adding that it is now up to Serbia to take care of its obligations. “This is how it will be with every next step on the road to European Union membership. It is not only formal, but about fulfilling all obligations content-wise as well. That is the job of the state and its institutions, in order to give arguments to the EU for moving forward,” Tadic said. He said that the first step is unfreezing the interim trade agreement, and when that happens, a decision will be made on applying for candidate status for EU membership. Asked whether Serbia will apply by the end of the year, he said that Belgrade will respect the procedure. He said that in order to enter the EU, it is not just up to Serbia’s citizens and the needed reforms, adding that the EU member-states must agreed on it as well. He added that it is true that there are disagreements on when the application for candidacy should be submitted. “One thing is clear—we will apply for candidacy when there is a clear message from the EU on the unfreezing of the interim agreement. I cannot say when this will happen, which is why I cannot give a date for applying for candidate status,” the President said. Tadic said that Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz’s report is the only opinion on Serbia’s cooperation with the Tribunal that matters, but added that since every sovereign country can make up its own mind, he does not want to interfere in the opinions of the Dutch government regarding its evaluation of Serbia’s Tribunal cooperation. Boris Tadic (FoNet)

“Serbia must focus on obligations"

He said that officials should be slow to announce the end of the economic crisis, stating that there is no one that can see when its consequences will end and how long it will last.

However, he said that there is no doubt that the financial situation has improved in the last quarter of the year.

“There is optimism, the light at the end of the tunnel is visible, but there is a lot of work to be done still. The weaknesses of our economy have been exposed in the crisis, and that is why this is an opportunity to improve on all these things,” Tadić said.

He said that since Serbia was able to keep its composure over visa liberalization, the same should be done as far as the unfreezing of the interim trade agreement is concerned.

Tadić said that European officials are discussing the possibility, adding that it is now up to Serbia to take care of its obligations.

“This is how it will be with every next step on the road to European Union membership. It is not only formal, but about fulfilling all obligations content-wise as well. That is the job of the state and its institutions, in order to give arguments to the EU for moving forward,” Tadić said.

He said that the first step is unfreezing the interim trade agreement, and when that happens, a decision will be made on applying for candidate status for EU membership.

Asked whether Serbia will apply by the end of the year, he said that Belgrade will respect the procedure.

He said that in order to enter the EU, it is not just up to Serbia’s citizens and the needed reforms, adding that the EU member-states must agreed on it as well.

He added that it is true that there are disagreements on when the application for candidacy should be submitted.

“One thing is clear—we will apply for candidacy when there is a clear message from the EU on the unfreezing of the interim agreement. I cannot say when this will happen, which is why I cannot give a date for applying for candidate status,” the President said.

Tadić said that Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz’s report is the only opinion on Serbia’s cooperation with the Tribunal that matters, but added that since every sovereign country can make up its own mind, he does not want to interfere in the opinions of the Dutch government regarding its evaluation of Serbia’s Tribunal cooperation.