Deputy PM on Serbia’s EU integration

Deputy PM Bozidar Djelic says good cooperation with The Hague should contribute to a consensus in the EU to give Serbia EU candidate status by year's end. He added that the fact Belgrade proposed a dialogue with Pristina would also help and that Serbia should get a starting date for accession talks by the end of the year as well. Deputy PM on Serbia’s EU integration "Many have said Europe would be tough but fair in dealing with Serbia, and the important thing is that it does not become unfair. Our cooperation with the Hague Tribunal is sincere and I hope will soon be complete," Djelic for Tanjug. He said that meeting many elements in the reform program, which were also contained in the Action Plan for following the recommendations of the European Commission, and the fact talks with Pristina were under way, should contribute to a positive opinion within the EU. "I think all of this, based on results and not privileges, should lead to a consensus inside the EU to grant Serbia candidate status, and set a starting date for EU accession talks," the deputy prime minister said. Asked if Serbia could face a new condition - the recognition of Kosovo - in the final stages of talks, he said "no one is asking us for anything other than first concrete results in the talks we ourselves proposed and we should not invent new conditions where there are not any." Djelic said in the future, full-fledged EU membership would require a solution for the Kosovo issue, but this solution definitely could not be Serbia's recognition of Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence. The Serbian deputy PM also commented on the ratification of Serbia's Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU, saying it was important to have all or nearly all EU member countries ratify the SAA by the end of the year, because a country with a ratified SAA practically becomes an associate EU member. He noted the decision of the Dutch parliament's European Affairs Committee to start the ratification process was very important for the start of talks between Serbia and the EU, and showed the "Hague condition" had largely been met. 17 EU member countries have ratified the SAA to date, two more have ratified it and just need to send proof of this to Brussels, and France and Finland will do so in coming weeks, Djelic pointed out. Bozidar Djelic (FoNet, file)

Deputy PM on Serbia’s EU integration

"Many have said Europe would be tough but fair in dealing with Serbia, and the important thing is that it does not become unfair. Our cooperation with the Hague Tribunal is sincere and I hope will soon be complete," Đelić for Tanjug.

He said that meeting many elements in the reform program, which were also contained in the Action Plan for following the recommendations of the European Commission, and the fact talks with Priština were under way, should contribute to a positive opinion within the EU.

"I think all of this, based on results and not privileges, should lead to a consensus inside the EU to grant Serbia candidate status, and set a starting date for EU accession talks," the deputy prime minister said.

Asked if Serbia could face a new condition - the recognition of Kosovo - in the final stages of talks, he said "no one is asking us for anything other than first concrete results in the talks we ourselves proposed and we should not invent new conditions where there are not any."

Đelić said in the future, full-fledged EU membership would require a solution for the Kosovo issue, but this solution definitely could not be Serbia's recognition of Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence.

The Serbian deputy PM also commented on the ratification of Serbia's Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU, saying it was important to have all or nearly all EU member countries ratify the SAA by the end of the year, because a country with a ratified SAA practically becomes an associate EU member.

He noted the decision of the Dutch parliament's European Affairs Committee to start the ratification process was very important for the start of talks between Serbia and the EU, and showed the "Hague condition" had largely been met.

17 EU member countries have ratified the SAA to date, two more have ratified it and just need to send proof of this to Brussels, and France and Finland will do so in coming weeks, Đelić pointed out.