“Economy should be number one priority”

Faculty of Political Sciences professor Predrag Simic says that Serbia is facing a lot of work on its way toward the EU membership. He told B92 that the economy should be number one priority. “Economy should be number one priority” Simic said that obtaining of the EU candidate status primarily meant that Serbia would not be alone in the crisis that had shaken the European economy and society. According to him, Serbia has become a safer place for foreign investments and he hopes that the number of foreign investors will increase in the future period. On the other hand, Serbia still needs to fulfill numerous obligations and to maintain stability in the country before and after elections, he explained. Simic added that Serbia should become an attractive candidate for investments as a country that is welcome to join the EU. “Implementation of what has been signed with Kosovo awaits us on that road and there will certainly be problems,” he stressed and added that he believed that the worst part regarding Kosovo had past. “The economy however needs to come first and I expect the issue of the economy to be raised in the (election) campaign because results of the last night’s decision could easily melt away without it,” the professor explained. When asked whether the Brussels decision would affect the rating of political parties in Serbia, he said that it would mostly affect the parties gathered around the Democratic Party (DS) since the ruling coalition had kept the promises it made in 2008. “Serbia has come a long way and successfully completed the candidacy during the government’s mandate, at least when the EU integration is concerned. It will also be a message to other parties that are starting to side with the European policy even though they used to speak differently up until recently,” Simic concluded. EU heads of state and governments decided to grant Serbia the EU candidate status on Thursday evening in Brussels. Predrag Simic B92

“Economy should be number one priority”

Simić said that obtaining of the EU candidate status primarily meant that Serbia would not be alone in the crisis that had shaken the European economy and society.

According to him, Serbia has become a safer place for foreign investments and he hopes that the number of foreign investors will increase in the future period.

On the other hand, Serbia still needs to fulfill numerous obligations and to maintain stability in the country before and after elections, he explained.

Simić added that Serbia should become an attractive candidate for investments as a country that is welcome to join the EU.

“Implementation of what has been signed with Kosovo awaits us on that road and there will certainly be problems,” he stressed and added that he believed that the worst part regarding Kosovo had past.

“The economy however needs to come first and I expect the issue of the economy to be raised in the (election) campaign because results of the last night’s decision could easily melt away without it,” the professor explained.

When asked whether the Brussels decision would affect the rating of political parties in Serbia, he said that it would mostly affect the parties gathered around the Democratic Party (DS) since the ruling coalition had kept the promises it made in 2008.

“Serbia has come a long way and successfully completed the candidacy during the government’s mandate, at least when the EU integration is concerned. It will also be a message to other parties that are starting to side with the European policy even though they used to speak differently up until recently,” Simić concluded.

EU heads of state and governments decided to grant Serbia the EU candidate status on Thursday evening in Brussels.