EU ministers recommend making Serbia candidate

European Union foreign ministers decided on Monday, after more than six hours of debate, to recommend to the European Council to grant Serbia candidate status. The council is set to hold a two-day summit on March 1 and 2. EU ministers recommend making Serbia candidate It was announced in Brussels on Tuesday afternoon that EU ministers were expected to take a decision on Serbia's status bid, while the EU Council was to confirm their decision. However, instead of a decision, the ministers adopted a recommendation. This means that the final decision is left to the EU Council, which head of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso mentioned as a possibility earlier in the day. Of the 27 member states, 26, including Germany, were in favor of giving the green light to Serbia. Surprisingly, Romania took a tough position over the issue of the Vlach minority in Serbia. Romania delayed decision Despite expectations that the debate on Serbia's candidacy for EU membership would be short, it was prolonged due to "Romania's strong position". This is according to Tanjug news agency's sources from the European Commission, who spoke a short time before 13:00 CET on Tuesday. EU foreign ministers began their discussion in Brussels on Tuesday around 10:30, but it was prolonged due to Romania's insisting that the item referring to the status of Vlach minority in Serbia be included in the conclusions. Romania has not officially specified that its objections were related to the Vlach minority. "It is not clear what they really want," Tanjug quoted an unnamed EC official, who is attending the meeting. According to this, the official also said that he "expected agreement to be reached soon, and the meeting to be concluded by lunch-time". Serbian President Boris Tadic, who is in Brussels, addressed reporters to say that "Romania's objections to include guarantees about respecting minority rights in today's conclusions were unjustified". Serbia is today expected to be given the status of candidate for EU membership - but not a date for the start of accession talks. Tadic said that Serbia had "fulfilled conditions for obtaining date of negotiations as well" and added "the Kosovo issue was the only obstacle". Germany, which was the biggest opponent of giving Serbia candidature, said earlier in the day that the country had "met the conditions", and that they would be in favor. Also today in Brussels, the EU countries that have not recognized the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration of independence - "Spain and Cyprus above all" - made it clear they were against the EC proposal to produce the Stabilization and Association Agreement feasibility study for Kosovo, as has been demanded by some member-states. Tadic expects "affirmation" President Boris Tadic voiced expectation, during a break of the EU ministerial meeting, that European institutions will confirm on Tuesday that Serbia is on the right track. I do not want to indulge in speculations, but I expect the European institutions will affirm that Serbia is on the right track, Tadic told journalists. We expected obstacles, it is not over yet, we are working on a positive decision, the president added. Tadic qualified as unjustified the remarks put forward by Romania. Serbia and Romania have a long tradition of friendly relations, but the remarks that were presented today are unjustified, Tadic underlined. According to him, Serbia has fulfilled all the conditions for obtaining the date for the start of accession talks as well, the only obstacle being the Kosovo issue. Tadic addresses reporters in Brussels on Tuesday (Beta) B92 Beta Tanjug

EU ministers recommend making Serbia candidate

It was announced in Brussels on Tuesday afternoon that EU ministers were expected to take a decision on Serbia's status bid, while the EU Council was to confirm their decision.

However, instead of a decision, the ministers adopted a recommendation.

This means that the final decision is left to the EU Council, which head of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso mentioned as a possibility earlier in the day.

Of the 27 member states, 26, including Germany, were in favor of giving the green light to Serbia.

Surprisingly, Romania took a tough position over the issue of the Vlach minority in Serbia.

Romania delayed decision

Despite expectations that the debate on Serbia's candidacy for EU membership would be short, it was prolonged due to "Romania's strong position".

This is according to Tanjug news agency's sources from the European Commission, who spoke a short time before 13:00 CET on Tuesday.

EU foreign ministers began their discussion in Brussels on Tuesday around 10:30, but it was prolonged due to Romania's insisting that the item referring to the status of Vlach minority in Serbia be included in the conclusions. Romania has not officially specified that its objections were related to the Vlach minority.

"It is not clear what they really want," Tanjug quoted an unnamed EC official, who is attending the meeting.

According to this, the official also said that he "expected agreement to be reached soon, and the meeting to be concluded by lunch-time".

Serbian President Boris Tadić, who is in Brussels, addressed reporters to say that "Romania's objections to include guarantees about respecting minority rights in today's conclusions were unjustified".

Serbia is today expected to be given the status of candidate for EU membership - but not a date for the start of accession talks. Tadić said that Serbia had "fulfilled conditions for obtaining date of negotiations as well" and added "the Kosovo issue was the only obstacle".

Germany, which was the biggest opponent of giving Serbia candidature, said earlier in the day that the country had "met the conditions", and that they would be in favor.

Also today in Brussels, the EU countries that have not recognized the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration of independence - "Spain and Cyprus above all" - made it clear they were against the EC proposal to produce the Stabilization and Association Agreement feasibility study for Kosovo, as has been demanded by some member-states.

Tadić expects "affirmation"

President Boris Tadić voiced expectation, during a break of the EU ministerial meeting, that European institutions will confirm on Tuesday that Serbia is on the right track.

I do not want to indulge in speculations, but I expect the European institutions will affirm that Serbia is on the right track, Tadić told journalists.

We expected obstacles, it is not over yet, we are working on a positive decision, the president added.

Tadić qualified as unjustified the remarks put forward by Romania.

Serbia and Romania have a long tradition of friendly relations, but the remarks that were presented today are unjustified, Tadić underlined.

According to him, Serbia has fulfilled all the conditions for obtaining the date for the start of accession talks as well, the only obstacle being the Kosovo issue.