“Sweden supports Serbia on EU pathway”

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said Wednesday after meeting his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic that his country supported the EU enlargement process. He, however, stressed that it was an ongoing process, not an event to be resolved by the adoption of one decision. “Sweden supports Serbia on EU pathway” Jeremic agreed that Serbia's path towards the EU was a long process and noted that one should not have any illusions that there would be a dramatic speeding up of Serbia's integration. “There is no way to dramatically speed up Serbia's European integration,” he said and added that this did not mean that Serbia should not remain devoted to this goal. “The European transformation of Serbia is in the interest of the citizens of this country, with or without membership in the EU,” the Serbian foreign minister he stressed. Jeremic said that Sweden’s attitude toward Serbia's EU integration was well known and that Sweden had always been in favor of Serbia. He, however, stressed that the changes happening within the EU were not favorable for the process of its further enlargement. The Serbian minister stressed the need to continue with the process of implementing European reforms and transforming of society through close cooperation with European partners. “A formal step on this path can be expected when those standards are reached,” he explained. Bildt congratulated Serbia on the positive European Commission opinion on granting it candidate status and particularly pointed out that the EC had praised the reform process in Serbia. Jeremic said that Serbia had the absolute support of Sweden for all its candidacy bids. He pointed to the recent election of Serbia as member of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and said that Serbia's candidacy for the OSCE presidency also had the support of Sweden. “Sweden will offer its full support to Serbia for EU candidate status on December 9, as well as the start of negotiations next year,” the Swedish foreign minister said Wednesday after meeting with Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic. “This will include fulfillment of the conditions listed in the recommendation of the European Commission,” he said. Djelic and Bildt discussed further steps in the process of European integration of Serbia, bilateral relations and economic cooperation between Serbia and Sweden, it was announced by the Serbian deputy PM's office. Djelic and Bildt also discussed the ties between Serbian and Swedish scientific communities. Carl Bildt and Vuk Jeremic (Tanjug)

“Sweden supports Serbia on EU pathway”

Jeremić agreed that Serbia's path towards the EU was a long process and noted that one should not have any illusions that there would be a dramatic speeding up of Serbia's integration.

“There is no way to dramatically speed up Serbia's European integration,” he said and added that this did not mean that Serbia should not remain devoted to this goal.

“The European transformation of Serbia is in the interest of the citizens of this country, with or without membership in the EU,” the Serbian foreign minister he stressed.

Jeremić said that Sweden’s attitude toward Serbia's EU integration was well known and that Sweden had always been in favor of Serbia.

He, however, stressed that the changes happening within the EU were not favorable for the process of its further enlargement.

The Serbian minister stressed the need to continue with the process of implementing European reforms and transforming of society through close cooperation with European partners.

“A formal step on this path can be expected when those standards are reached,” he explained.

Bildt congratulated Serbia on the positive European Commission opinion on granting it candidate status and particularly pointed out that the EC had praised the reform process in Serbia.

Jeremić said that Serbia had the absolute support of Sweden for all its candidacy bids.

He pointed to the recent election of Serbia as member of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and said that Serbia's candidacy for the OSCE presidency also had the support of Sweden.

“Sweden will offer its full support to Serbia for EU candidate status on December 9, as well as the start of negotiations next year,” the Swedish foreign minister said Wednesday after meeting with Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić.

“This will include fulfillment of the conditions listed in the recommendation of the European Commission,” he said.

Đelić and Bildt discussed further steps in the process of European integration of Serbia, bilateral relations and economic cooperation between Serbia and Sweden, it was announced by the Serbian deputy PM's office.

Đelić and Bildt also discussed the ties between Serbian and Swedish scientific communities.