Serbia to apply for EU candidate status

Serbia will submit its application for obtaining the status of a candidate-state for membership in the European Union.

Izvor: B92

Sunday, 20.12.2009.

09:44

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Serbia will submit its application for obtaining the status of a candidate-state for membership in the European Union. President Boris Tadic and Mirko Cvetkovic signed a demand, in the name of the government, for applying for EU candidacy on Saturday. Serbia to apply for EU candidate status Tadic said that the decision on when this will be done will be made by Sweden, the country that is currently presiding over the EU. He said that the decision to apply for candidate status was made after very serious analysis. The President said that there is no dilemma that Sweden, even without the arrests of Hague fugitives Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic, can determine a date for applying for candidacy, because Serbia is doing everything in its power to wrap up its cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. “Our program is simple, we want Serbia in the European Union with our identity,” Tadic said, adding that the significance of the government’s decision is in the fact that “today, no one can have a dilemma about what direction Serbia is heading in.” He said that there are people who oppose European integration, but the dominant will of the citizens must be respected. Cvetkovic said that the decision to apply for candidacy was the result of strenuous work on the part of the government. “With this decision, Serbia has mapped out the route which it will take in the coming period and has shown that it shares the values of European countries,” Cvetkovic said. Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said that Tadic will be submitting the application on Tuesday in Stockholm. He showed his support for Serbia’s decision to submit the application. “This is a historic moment for Serbia,” Bildt stated on his official blog. “The Serbian President is welcome in Stockholm on Tuesday to submit the application to (Swedish) Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt,” Bildt said. He said that EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn will be in attendance in Stockholm for the occasion as well. Reinfeldt said that Serbia has taken a historic step in deciding to apply for EU candidacy. “I will welcome Serbian President Boris Tadic to Stockholm on December 22, when he will be officially submitting the application,” Reinfeldt said. Boris Tadic and Mirko Cvetkovic (Tanjug)

Serbia to apply for EU candidate status

Tadić said that the decision on when this will be done will be made by Sweden, the country that is currently presiding over the EU.

He said that the decision to apply for candidate status was made after very serious analysis.

The President said that there is no dilemma that Sweden, even without the arrests of Hague fugitives Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić, can determine a date for applying for candidacy, because Serbia is doing everything in its power to wrap up its cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.

“Our program is simple, we want Serbia in the European Union with our identity,” Tadić said, adding that the significance of the government’s decision is in the fact that “today, no one can have a dilemma about what direction Serbia is heading in.”

He said that there are people who oppose European integration, but the dominant will of the citizens must be respected.

Cvetković said that the decision to apply for candidacy was the result of strenuous work on the part of the government.

“With this decision, Serbia has mapped out the route which it will take in the coming period and has shown that it shares the values of European countries,” Cvetković said.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said that Tadić will be submitting the application on Tuesday in Stockholm.

He showed his support for Serbia’s decision to submit the application.

“This is a historic moment for Serbia,” Bildt stated on his official blog.

“The Serbian President is welcome in Stockholm on Tuesday to submit the application to (Swedish) Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt,” Bildt said.

He said that EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn will be in attendance in Stockholm for the occasion as well.

Reinfeldt said that Serbia has taken a historic step in deciding to apply for EU candidacy.

“I will welcome Serbian President Boris Tadić to Stockholm on December 22, when he will be officially submitting the application,” Reinfeldt said.

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