"This government will lead Serbia to EU”

Bozidar Djelic says that the new government has been successful in its first 100 days in office. “This government and its cabinet will bring our country to the doorstep of the European Union,” the deputy prime minister said in an interview with the Tanjug news agency. "This government will lead Serbia to EU” “Of course that does not depend on us alone, but we will do everything within this mandate to improve our nation’s institutions, economy, politics and geopolitics in an effort to become a fully-fledged European country." "And what is most important, to ensure competitiveness for our industry and our institutions in such surroundings,” Djelic said. Among the Kostunica cabinet priorities, Djelic listed the protection of the country’s territorial integrity vis-a-vis Kosovo, increased speed of European integration, cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, fight against organized crime and corruption, and a better life for its citizens. He said that this was only the beginning and that the government wished to do much more. "These five priorities will be active during the entire mandate,” Djelic said. "We have the start of a new round, maybe the first real talks, where the entire Contact Group is involved and where there are no pre-imposed plans or solutions and overall, there is no deadline,” Djelic said of the new Kosovo status talks. As far as European integration was concerned, he reminded of the fact that since the government was formed on June 13, the talks for signing the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU had resumed. "We had two rounds of talks, one in Brussels and one in Belgrade, and now we are close to finalizing it." "I believe that we will be able to initial the agreement after the next round of talks, scheduled for September 10, and then we will sign this agreement between our country and the European Union,“ Djelic said. Speaking of the economy, Djelic said that Serbia had had a growth rate of 5.9 percent for the last six consecutive years. "The country has attracted more than a billion dollars worth of investments each year over the course of the last five years. That has never been seen in Serbia before,” Djelic said. Bozidar Djelic: Success story?

"This government will lead Serbia to EU”

“Of course that does not depend on us alone, but we will do everything within this mandate to improve our nation’s institutions, economy, politics and geopolitics in an effort to become a fully-fledged European country."

"And what is most important, to ensure competitiveness for our industry and our institutions in such surroundings,” Đelić said.

Among the Koštunica cabinet priorities, Đelić listed the protection of the country’s territorial integrity vis-a-vis Kosovo, increased speed of European integration, cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, fight against organized crime and corruption, and a better life for its citizens.

He said that this was only the beginning and that the government wished to do much more.

"These five priorities will be active during the entire mandate,” Đelić said.

"We have the start of a new round, maybe the first real talks, where the entire Contact Group is involved and where there are no pre-imposed plans or solutions and overall, there is no deadline,” Đelić said of the new Kosovo status talks.

As far as European integration was concerned, he reminded of the fact that since the government was formed on June 13, the talks for signing the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU had resumed.

"We had two rounds of talks, one in Brussels and one in Belgrade, and now we are close to finalizing it."

"I believe that we will be able to initial the agreement after the next round of talks, scheduled for September 10, and then we will sign this agreement between our country and the European Union,“ Đelić said.

Speaking of the economy, Đelić said that Serbia had had a growth rate of 5.9 percent for the last six consecutive years.

"The country has attracted more than a billion dollars worth of investments each year over the course of the last five years. That has never been seen in Serbia before,” Đelić said.