EU commissioner to visit Belgrade

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele stated in Brussels on Thursday that he will confer with Serbian officials in Belgrade. He said they would discuss the steps that should follow the European Commission's green light to the opinion on Serbia's membership bid, and expressed hope that a consensus on Serbia's EU candidacy will be reached by the next meeting of the Council of the European Union in October. EU commissioner to visit Belgrade "Serbia's candidacy is now in the hands of the member states which have to reach consensus. We keep daily contacts with the EU presidency in Belgium. This issue was discussed in the last few days. I am encouraged that Belgium has put the issue on the agenda of the next meeting of the EU Council, and I hope that by that time the member states will reach a consensus," Fuele said at a press conference after a meeting with Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic. When the consensus is reached, it will take several days or weeks at the most before we are able to send the questionnaire to the Serbian authorities. As soon as we get the answers, the member states will be provided with an assessment of the country's progress and determine which are the steps that need to be taken next, he said. Fuele stated that he conferred with Djelic on the Serbia-EU Resolution on the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, and his Friday talks with the Belgrade officials on Serbia's future steps toward the EU. Fuele will confer with Serbian President Boris Tadic and other officials in Belgrade on Friday. Djelic pointed out that Serbia has welcomed the decision of Belgium, which will hold the EU presidency by the end of the year, to table the country's EU candidacy, and expressed hope that the partnership with the EU will be materialized by a green light to the Serbian bid. Djelic and Fuele in Brussels (FoNet)

EU commissioner to visit Belgrade

"Serbia's candidacy is now in the hands of the member states which have to reach consensus. We keep daily contacts with the EU presidency in Belgium. This issue was discussed in the last few days. I am encouraged that Belgium has put the issue on the agenda of the next meeting of the EU Council, and I hope that by that time the member states will reach a consensus," Fuele said at a press conference after a meeting with Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić.

When the consensus is reached, it will take several days or weeks at the most before we are able to send the questionnaire to the Serbian authorities.

As soon as we get the answers, the member states will be provided with an assessment of the country's progress and determine which are the steps that need to be taken next, he said.

Fuele stated that he conferred with Đelić on the Serbia-EU Resolution on the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, and his Friday talks with the Belgrade officials on Serbia's future steps toward the EU.

Fuele will confer with Serbian President Boris Tadić and other officials in Belgrade on Friday.

Đelić pointed out that Serbia has welcomed the decision of Belgium, which will hold the EU presidency by the end of the year, to table the country's EU candidacy, and expressed hope that the partnership with the EU will be materialized by a green light to the Serbian bid.