"More steps needed before accession talks"

BELGRADE Slovakia's FM and EU special envoy Miroslav Lajcak says Serbia will need to take additional steps before it is allowed to start accession talks with the EU. These steps "are to be determined by the European Council", he told Belgrade's Vecernje Novosti daily in an interview. "More steps needed before accession talks" In addition to implementing the already reached agreements, Serbia will need to take additional steps. The European Council will decide what these steps will be, Lajcak said. Both the government and the people in Serbia need to be realistic when it comes to European integration and must take it step by step, he said. "It is not the dates that are important, but the quality of the reforms you are conducting, and meeting the requirements for becoming a member of the European family," said Lajcak. He added that the list of conditions Serbia had pledged to fulfill back in February was well-known - all of the agreements with Pristina need to be implemented fully. "You should not pay a lot of attention to what individuals in the EU are saying. What matters is the opinion of the European Commission and the conclusions of the European Council in December. For Brussels, it is important to see the Serbian government is determined to move forward," Lajcak said, adding that he could see the resolve. Lajcak, who was last week in Belgrade, believes it is "not a good idea" to hold a referendum at which the Serbian people would be asked to choose between the EU and Kosovo. "I do not think it is a good idea. Despite the crisis in the EU, there is no better perspective for Western Balkan countries than membership in the EU and NATO," he concluded. (Beta, file) Tanjug Vecernje novosti

"More steps needed before accession talks"

In addition to implementing the already reached agreements, Serbia will need to take additional steps. The European Council will decide what these steps will be, Lajčak said.

Both the government and the people in Serbia need to be realistic when it comes to European integration and must take it step by step, he said.

"It is not the dates that are important, but the quality of the reforms you are conducting, and meeting the requirements for becoming a member of the European family," said Lajčak.

He added that the list of conditions Serbia had pledged to fulfill back in February was well-known - all of the agreements with Priština need to be implemented fully.

"You should not pay a lot of attention to what individuals in the EU are saying. What matters is the opinion of the European Commission and the conclusions of the European Council in December. For Brussels, it is important to see the Serbian government is determined to move forward," Lajčak said, adding that he could see the resolve.

Lajčak, who was last week in Belgrade, believes it is "not a good idea" to hold a referendum at which the Serbian people would be asked to choose between the EU and Kosovo.

"I do not think it is a good idea. Despite the crisis in the EU, there is no better perspective for Western Balkan countries than membership in the EU and NATO," he concluded.