EU rep: We will help Serbian govt. tackle corruption

The EU will actively cooperate with the new Serbian government in combat against corruption, Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Vincent Degert has said. He stressed that the combat and the rule of law were very important factors in Serbia’s EU integration process. EU rep: We will help Serbian govt. tackle corruption Degert noted that the “better leadership, more will and conviction” was necessary in combat against corruption. “We will support you in the fight. We will actively cooperate with the new government and parliament in the fight but it is necessary that there is a clear concept of the government for a systematic combat against corruption,” he explained. The EU representative pointed out that the rule of law could only be successfully implemented through an independent judicial system that must not be under political and economic influence. “It is necessary for all participants in the process to have a common goal and it is an independent judiciary, which includes stability of a judicial function but the judiciary needs to show its integrity and that it is unbiased,” Degert stated. “These are not some new conditions, but basic, fundamental conditions that every country needs to fulfill in order to become a member,” he said, adding that the EU was becoming integrated as well, especially in the field of security and judiciary. “In that respect, don’t be surprised by new requirements in those areas,” he said. According to him, numerous deficiencies have been recorded in the judicial reform that started in 2006. Commenting on the election of judges, Degert said that there had been certain problems that were being investigated and that the Constitutional Court had more than 260 cases. “The process has been dragging for too long and it is time to put an end to it. Some believe that the damage is irreparable,” he explained. Vincent Degert Beta

EU rep: We will help Serbian govt. tackle corruption

Degert noted that the “better leadership, more will and conviction” was necessary in combat against corruption.

“We will support you in the fight. We will actively cooperate with the new government and parliament in the fight but it is necessary that there is a clear concept of the government for a systematic combat against corruption,” he explained.

The EU representative pointed out that the rule of law could only be successfully implemented through an independent judicial system that must not be under political and economic influence.

“It is necessary for all participants in the process to have a common goal and it is an independent judiciary, which includes stability of a judicial function but the judiciary needs to show its integrity and that it is unbiased,” Degert stated.

“These are not some new conditions, but basic, fundamental conditions that every country needs to fulfill in order to become a member,” he said, adding that the EU was becoming integrated as well, especially in the field of security and judiciary.

“In that respect, don’t be surprised by new requirements in those areas,” he said.

According to him, numerous deficiencies have been recorded in the judicial reform that started in 2006.

Commenting on the election of judges, Degert said that there had been certain problems that were being investigated and that the Constitutional Court had more than 260 cases.

“The process has been dragging for too long and it is time to put an end to it. Some believe that the damage is irreparable,” he explained.