Dačić expects "historic day for Serbia, EU"

BELGRADE Prime Minister Ivica Dacic has said that he believes "Serbia will get an unconditional date for EU accession talks" on Friday. "Serbia is irreversibly going to the EU, and the talks will officially open on Friday, without new conditions, without new sessions, and this will be an unconditional date," Dacic said opening the conference on Serbia's EU path and its effect on economy, and expressed the belief that Friday is "a historic day for Serbia and the EU." Dacic expects "historic day for Serbia, EU" During the break at the conference, the prime minister specified that the European Council agreed with Germany and other countries in the stand that Serbia's accession negotiations should unconditionally open on Friday. "This means that there will be no new conditions in addition to the ones established so far and there will be no new conferences, councils and commissions which would discuss Serbia again," he said. According to Dacic, the procedure should start as of Friday and the inter-governmental conference of the Serbian government and the European Commission should be scheduled by January the latest. "What is important is that Germany has given its consent for opening the talks and we are opening them formally and officially," Dacic said. The prime minister expressed the hope that the Friday decision of the European Council would be in keeping with the prepared draft. Commenting on the possibility for a date of accession talks being set for the next year and not October, Dacic said that Serbia is not in charge of the decision. "As for Serbia, we expect the process to begin on Friday but the EU has 27 member countries," he said and added that when it comes to the date, it will be the date when the intergovernmental conference would be held. When it comes to Germany's stand, Dacic said that "the ratio was 26:1," but since the decisions are adopted by consensus, "certain compromises were necessary." "Germany wanted it to come after January and for the European Council to re-examine whether Serbia has met the conditions and the additional ones or not," he said and added that compromise has obviously been made for the date to be set by January the latest, but without additional conditions and revision of the decision in December. According to Dacic, "Serbia has met all the conditions and showed that it is strongly committed to the continuation of the reforms and implementation of the agreement with Pristina, and it is now up to the EU to live up to its promises." "We are not satisfied that a date is not set for October, but on the other hand, it is of historic importance for the EU accession talks to open," Dacic said. Dacic recalled that he conferred with President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso in Brussels on Wednesday and with EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule, High EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and that "the stands have been harmonized in principle with those of Germany." He also announced that President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy would arrive in Belgrade on Monday, and that Ashton and Fule and their technical teams would come to Belgrade in July as well "so as to reach an agreement on procedures." (Beta/AP, file) Tanjug

Dačić expects "historic day for Serbia, EU"

During the break at the conference, the prime minister specified that the European Council agreed with Germany and other countries in the stand that Serbia's accession negotiations should unconditionally open on Friday.

"This means that there will be no new conditions in addition to the ones established so far and there will be no new conferences, councils and commissions which would discuss Serbia again," he said.

According to Dačić, the procedure should start as of Friday and the inter-governmental conference of the Serbian government and the European Commission should be scheduled by January the latest.

"What is important is that Germany has given its consent for opening the talks and we are opening them formally and officially," Dačić said.

The prime minister expressed the hope that the Friday decision of the European Council would be in keeping with the prepared draft.

Commenting on the possibility for a date of accession talks being set for the next year and not October, Dačić said that Serbia is not in charge of the decision.

"As for Serbia, we expect the process to begin on Friday but the EU has 27 member countries," he said and added that when it comes to the date, it will be the date when the intergovernmental conference would be held.

When it comes to Germany's stand, Dačić said that "the ratio was 26:1," but since the decisions are adopted by consensus, "certain compromises were necessary."

"Germany wanted it to come after January and for the European Council to re-examine whether Serbia has met the conditions and the additional ones or not," he said and added that compromise has obviously been made for the date to be set by January the latest, but without additional conditions and revision of the decision in December.

According to Dačić, "Serbia has met all the conditions and showed that it is strongly committed to the continuation of the reforms and implementation of the agreement with Priština, and it is now up to the EU to live up to its promises."

"We are not satisfied that a date is not set for October, but on the other hand, it is of historic importance for the EU accession talks to open," Dačić said.

Dačić recalled that he conferred with President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso in Brussels on Wednesday and with EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule, High EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and that "the stands have been harmonized in principle with those of Germany."

He also announced that President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy would arrive in Belgrade on Monday, and that Ashton and Fule and their technical teams would come to Belgrade in July as well "so as to reach an agreement on procedures."