Negotiator: Goal is to speed up EU integration

BELGRADE Tanja Miscevic says her "main goal and professional challenge" will be to give full contribution and make sure Serbia "maximally speeds up its EU integration." Miscevic spoke after it was announced earlier this week that she would be the country's lead negotiator in the EU accession talks. Negotiator: Goal is to speed up EU integration In an interview given to the Tuesday issue of Belgrade-based daily Vecernje Novosti, Miscevic said that the full and consistent implementation of the Brussels agreement (between Belgrade and Pristina), “is the condition of all conditions” for official start of talks, but noted that reforms must also continue. "As a state, we must fulfill the obligations we took on within the set time frames. Moreover, all reform processes need to be continued, since as soon as in October we will have the European Commission's progress report,” she noted, and Novosti published on their website. According to Miscevic, the path toward EU membership is a long and painstaking one, and we should all give our full contribution. Asked whether Serbia has enough political will and capacity to meet all requirements for the start of EU entry talks in January, she said that a political will “is absolutely there”. “First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic's and my views coincide on this matter. There is a resolve in Serbia to advance steadily and speedily toward the EU. It is up to us to do our best and results will follow,” Miscevic said. Miscevic accepted the post of Serbia's lead negotiator in EU membership talks on Sunday. She was a state secretary at the Defense Ministry in the previous government, and served as director of the government's office for EU integration. (Beta, file) Tanjug Vecernje novosti

Negotiator: Goal is to speed up EU integration

In an interview given to the Tuesday issue of Belgrade-based daily Večernje Novosti, Miščević said that the full and consistent implementation of the Brussels agreement (between Belgrade and Priština), “is the condition of all conditions” for official start of talks, but noted that reforms must also continue.

"As a state, we must fulfill the obligations we took on within the set time frames. Moreover, all reform processes need to be continued, since as soon as in October we will have the European Commission's progress report,” she noted, and Novosti published on their website.

According to Miščević, the path toward EU membership is a long and painstaking one, and we should all give our full contribution.

Asked whether Serbia has enough political will and capacity to meet all requirements for the start of EU entry talks in January, she said that a political will “is absolutely there”.

“First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić's and my views coincide on this matter. There is a resolve in Serbia to advance steadily and speedily toward the EU. It is up to us to do our best and results will follow,” Miščević said.

Miščević accepted the post of Serbia's lead negotiator in EU membership talks on Sunday.

She was a state secretary at the Defense Ministry in the previous government, and served as director of the government's office for EU integration.