“Govt. expects date for EU talks in March 2013”

BELGRADE The Serbian government expects to get a date for the beginning of the EU accession talks in March, daily Press has learnt from the government. “We have lost a lot of time in the election process and the most important thing now is to be efficient in solving of requests from Brussels to step up our diplomatic activity,” a source told Press. “Govt. expects date for EU talks in March 2013” He added that the work on reforms of the tax system and judiciary was well underway, stressing that those were the EU’s main conditions aside from the continuation of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. “As far as Kosovo is concerned, Belgrade will respect the signed agreements and the negotiations with Pristina will be continued soon,” the source pointed out. The daily writes that the government members are planning on intensifying diplomatic activity in the EU member states. “After (Deputy Prime Minister for EU Integration) Suzana Grubjesic and (Prime Minister) Ivica Dacic, (Finance and Economy Minister) Mladjan Dinkic will probably go to Brussels in the end of the month,” the source was quoted as saying. According to the daily, the new Serbian authorities are counting on Germany’s help in the EU integration process and Deputy PM Aleksandar Vucic’s visit to Berlin next week could be of extreme importance. “Vucic has excellent connections in Germany. He will go to Berlin in the beginning of next week where he will speak to the deputy PM and (Chancellor) Angela Merkel’s chief advisor,” said the sources, adding that economic issues would also be discussed. The Serbian government expects that the Council of Ministers will discuss Serbia in December when it should assess the new government’s work and analyze the solving of the Kosovo issue. “If everything goes as planned, we can get a date for the beginning of the negotiations at the next sitting in March 2013,” the daily’s source claims. Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said after a meeting with Dacic on Wednesday that he fully supported granting Serbia a date for the beginning of the talks. Dacic repeated that Serbia was ready to fulfill decisions from the European Council’s conclusions but that it did not want any new requests. “Serbia wants honest and trustworthy relations. It wants to know what it needs to do and it will not make any decisions at the last minute, just like it does not want the EU to set additional conditions for the date or membership at the last minute. I think that’s fair,” he explained. (Tanjug, file) Press

“Govt. expects date for EU talks in March 2013”

He added that the work on reforms of the tax system and judiciary was well underway, stressing that those were the EU’s main conditions aside from the continuation of the Belgrade-Priština dialogue.

“As far as Kosovo is concerned, Belgrade will respect the signed agreements and the negotiations with Priština will be continued soon,” the source pointed out.

The daily writes that the government members are planning on intensifying diplomatic activity in the EU member states.

“After (Deputy Prime Minister for EU Integration) Suzana Grubješić and (Prime Minister) Ivica Dačić, (Finance and Economy Minister) Mlađan Dinkić will probably go to Brussels in the end of the month,” the source was quoted as saying.

According to the daily, the new Serbian authorities are counting on Germany’s help in the EU integration process and Deputy PM Aleksandar Vučić’s visit to Berlin next week could be of extreme importance.

“Vučić has excellent connections in Germany. He will go to Berlin in the beginning of next week where he will speak to the deputy PM and (Chancellor) Angela Merkel’s chief advisor,” said the sources, adding that economic issues would also be discussed.

The Serbian government expects that the Council of Ministers will discuss Serbia in December when it should assess the new government’s work and analyze the solving of the Kosovo issue.

“If everything goes as planned, we can get a date for the beginning of the negotiations at the next sitting in March 2013,” the daily’s source claims.

Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said after a meeting with Dačić on Wednesday that he fully supported granting Serbia a date for the beginning of the talks.

Dačić repeated that Serbia was ready to fulfill decisions from the European Council’s conclusions but that it did not want any new requests.

“Serbia wants honest and trustworthy relations. It wants to know what it needs to do and it will not make any decisions at the last minute, just like it does not want the EU to set additional conditions for the date or membership at the last minute. I think that’s fair,” he explained.