Đelić: EC to unblock trade deal

Bozidar Djelic believes that the European Commission (EC) will unblock the trade agreement with Serbia at its Sep.15 session. The deputy prime minister told B92 that the debate on the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), unless parliament decides otherwise, could be over tomorrow, and parliament could vote on the agreement next week. Djelic: EC to unblock trade deal Djelic said that one of the government’s aims remained putting Serbia on the White Schengen List by the end of the year. The EC report on Serbia, expected in November, is vital for the abolishment of the visa regime, and by then parliament needs to adopt 44 laws. The minister said that it was not unrealistic to meet these conditions, but only if parliament began functioning normally again. He told B92 that he hoped that the vast majority of MPs would vote in favor of the SAA. There is a possibility of an interpretation of one side of the SAA concerning Kosovo as part of the same item on the agenda, which would secure broader support in parliament, Djelic said. The minister reiterated that the agreement allowed Serbia to accomplish its aims of European integration. “The question is always being asked whether we negotiated well,” he said. “I compared it with what Croatia got, and we can say that we, at least as far as agriculture is concerned, did a great deal better because more of our products have a greater dose of protection,” the minister explained. “At the same time, in the domain of industry, we managed to guarantee protection for what’s important to us. The same way, when we look at public purchasing, we immediately receive the treatment of a domestic entity for our suppliers on the EU market,” he said. Djelic said that he would be “exceptionally happy” if Serbia received EU candidate status halfway through 2009. Bozidar Djelic (FoNet, archive)

Đelić: EC to unblock trade deal

Đelić said that one of the government’s aims remained putting Serbia on the White Schengen List by the end of the year.

The EC report on Serbia, expected in November, is vital for the abolishment of the visa regime, and by then parliament needs to adopt 44 laws. The minister said that it was not unrealistic to meet these conditions, but only if parliament began functioning normally again.

He told B92 that he hoped that the vast majority of MPs would vote in favor of the SAA.

There is a possibility of an interpretation of one side of the SAA concerning Kosovo as part of the same item on the agenda, which would secure broader support in parliament, Đelić said.

The minister reiterated that the agreement allowed Serbia to accomplish its aims of European integration. “The question is always being asked whether we negotiated well,” he said.

“I compared it with what Croatia got, and we can say that we, at least as far as agriculture is concerned, did a great deal better because more of our products have a greater dose of protection,” the minister explained.

“At the same time, in the domain of industry, we managed to guarantee protection for what’s important to us. The same way, when we look at public purchasing, we immediately receive the treatment of a domestic entity for our suppliers on the EU market,” he said.

Đelić said that he would be “exceptionally happy” if Serbia received EU candidate status halfway through 2009.