"EU hopes for pro-European govt. in Belgrade"

The EU enlargement commissioner says Brussels hopes political forces fully committed to EU integration and regional cooperation would win in Serbian elections.

Izvor: Tanjug

Tuesday, 01.05.2012.

10:16

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The EU enlargement commissioner says Brussels hopes political forces fully committed to EU integration and regional cooperation would win in Serbian elections. At a roundtable on regional cooperation, organized on Monday by the Brussels-based European Policy Center, Stefan Fule was addressed by a number of journalists asking questions about the forthcoming elections in Serbia, to which he initially refused to initially. "EU hopes for pro-European govt. in Belgrade" "Had I wanted to call a press conference about the Serbian elections, I would have done just that," said the commissioner. But he touched on the subject later on. "If you ask me whether we hope of getting an administration that will be even more committed to regional cooperation and European integration, the answer is yes, and we are looking forward to our cooperation with them," Fule said, according to a Tanjug news agency report. He said that Brussels's standpoint was that local elections cannot be held in Kosovo, but the parliamentary and presidential ones could. Those with voting rights in Kosovo should be enabled to cast their votes, Fule said, adding that negotiations about that were underway between Belgrade, Pristina and the OSCE. The European commissioner said that the deadline for reaching an agreement on the way to conduct the Serbian elections in Kosovo was to expire soon, expressing the hope that a solution would be reached as it was the only way to ensure a secure and democratic procedure. The general elections will be held in Serbia on May 6. Fule said he was “very unhappy” about different interpretations of the agreements reached between Belgrade and Pristina so far. I expect Belgrade and Pristina to implement in letter and in spirit the agreement on integrated border management and regional cooperation after the elections. Fule made the statements after Hido Biscevic, the chairman of the Sarajevo-based Regional Cooperation Council, voiced his belief that unresolved issues, especially the Kosovo issue, were hindering cooperation in the region. "I believe there is no need explaining how important the reaching of agreements in the talks was for the EU member states to approve the candidate status for Serbia and for the European perspective of Kosovo," stressed Fule. "Both Belgrade and Pristina are well aware that to give up on the dialogue would reflect very badly on their respective European integration processes," he was quoted as saying. Tanjug

"EU hopes for pro-European govt. in Belgrade"

"Had I wanted to call a press conference about the Serbian elections, I would have done just that," said the commissioner.

But he touched on the subject later on.

"If you ask me whether we hope of getting an administration that will be even more committed to regional cooperation and European integration, the answer is yes, and we are looking forward to our cooperation with them," Fule said, according to a Tanjug news agency report.

He said that Brussels's standpoint was that local elections cannot be held in Kosovo, but the parliamentary and presidential ones could.

Those with voting rights in Kosovo should be enabled to cast their votes, Fule said, adding that negotiations about that were underway between Belgrade, Priština and the OSCE.

The European commissioner said that the deadline for reaching an agreement on the way to conduct the Serbian elections in Kosovo was to expire soon, expressing the hope that a solution would be reached as it was the only way to ensure a secure and democratic procedure.

The general elections will be held in Serbia on May 6.

Fule said he was “very unhappy” about different interpretations of the agreements reached between Belgrade and Priština so far.

I expect Belgrade and Priština to implement in letter and in spirit the agreement on integrated border management and regional cooperation after the elections.

Fule made the statements after Hido Biščević, the chairman of the Sarajevo-based Regional Cooperation Council, voiced his belief that unresolved issues, especially the Kosovo issue, were hindering cooperation in the region.

"I believe there is no need explaining how important the reaching of agreements in the talks was for the EU member states to approve the candidate status for Serbia and for the European perspective of Kosovo," stressed Fule.

"Both Belgrade and Priština are well aware that to give up on the dialogue would reflect very badly on their respective European integration processes," he was quoted as saying.

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