EU rep on Serbia's candidate status

Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Vincent Degert says that Serbia needs to achieve results in implementation of reforms in order to get EU candidate status. He added that he was optimistic about the prospects. EU rep on Serbia's candidate status “It is something that has to be earned. We are working hard with the local authorities in order to make progress in reforms. I see that many actions are taken in order to make progress in reforms. I’m a moderate optimist that it can be achieved,” Degert pointed out. He said that there were many issues that needed to be addressed, which EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule pointed out during his visit to Belgrade. Commenting on Serbian politicians who are convinced that Serbia will get the EU candidate status, the head of the EU delegation to Serbia said that nothing could guarantee that, adding that it was necessary to adopt a series of laws and implement reforms, particularly judicial reform, combat against corruption and changes to the election law. “We have to see that the progress has been made in all areas before we convince 27 EU member states that Serbia is ready to take the next step in the enlargement process,” Degert explained. When asked about the possibility of an early general election in Serbia, he said he would rather not interfere, but added there were laws that regulated the election process. “The EU wants Serbia to conduct all the necessary reforms and for all political figures take part in that,” he concluded. Serbian government’s EU Integration Office Director Milica Delevic has also assessed that results in implementation of reforms will be crucial for obtaining the EU candidate status. “When it comes to getting the EU candidate status, I can say just like all the times before that the only certain thing is the job that needs to be done and that it is a job that can be done,” she told reporters at the presentation of Serbia A to Z manual. She explained that the conditions were clear and assessed that Serbia could fulfill them, but that the job needed to be completed in order for the European Commission’s opinion to be positive. “It is within our reach, but it is not going to fall into our lap unless we finish the job,” Delevic said. She pointed out that Serbia often expected the EU to solve internal political crises but that the EU wanted to see that there was a political and democratic process in the country that could help solve problems. The EU Integration Office director stressed that Serbia should commit itself to the big job ahead, within a functional, democratic process. Vincent Degert, Bozidar Djelic and Milica Delevic (FoNet)

EU rep on Serbia's candidate status

“It is something that has to be earned. We are working hard with the local authorities in order to make progress in reforms. I see that many actions are taken in order to make progress in reforms. I’m a moderate optimist that it can be achieved,” Degert pointed out.

He said that there were many issues that needed to be addressed, which EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule pointed out during his visit to Belgrade.

Commenting on Serbian politicians who are convinced that Serbia will get the EU candidate status, the head of the EU delegation to Serbia said that nothing could guarantee that, adding that it was necessary to adopt a series of laws and implement reforms, particularly judicial reform, combat against corruption and changes to the election law.

“We have to see that the progress has been made in all areas before we convince 27 EU member states that Serbia is ready to take the next step in the enlargement process,” Degert explained.

When asked about the possibility of an early general election in Serbia, he said he would rather not interfere, but added there were laws that regulated the election process. “The EU wants Serbia to conduct all the necessary reforms and for all political figures take part in that,” he concluded.

Serbian government’s EU Integration Office Director Milica Delević has also assessed that results in implementation of reforms will be crucial for obtaining the EU candidate status.

“When it comes to getting the EU candidate status, I can say just like all the times before that the only certain thing is the job that needs to be done and that it is a job that can be done,” she told reporters at the presentation of Serbia A to Z manual.

She explained that the conditions were clear and assessed that Serbia could fulfill them, but that the job needed to be completed in order for the European Commission’s opinion to be positive.

“It is within our reach, but it is not going to fall into our lap unless we finish the job,” Delević said.

She pointed out that Serbia often expected the EU to solve internal political crises but that the EU wanted to see that there was a political and democratic process in the country that could help solve problems.

The EU Integration Office director stressed that Serbia should commit itself to the big job ahead, within a functional, democratic process.