Đelić, Bildt call for faster integration

The forthcoming Swedish EU presidency should see positive steps taken towards getting Serbia on the Schengen white list, Bozidar Djelic and Carl Bildt agree. The deputy prime minister, who is leading the Serbian delegation at the Davos World Economic Forum, spoke to the Swedish foreign minister about ways of accelerating the country’s EU integration process during the Swedish EU presidency in the second half of the year. Djelic, Bildt call for faster integration Djelic and Bildt agreed that Serbia’s speedy EU integration was a common aim and that , in that context, engagement was required in three areas. “The first is unfreezing implementation of the Interim Trade Agreement, the second is that decisive steps are taken during the Swedish presidency in the area of visa liberalization for our country, and the third element is that Serbia and the Western Balkans should play their part in the EU’s proposed plan of measures for weathering the economic crisis,” Djelic explained. According to the deputy prime minister, Serbia was, in that regard, counting on funds for enhancing infrastructure and energy supply. “I also discussed this area with European Commission Vice-President Gunther Verheugen, and I expect to have contact with people from the EC responsible for energy, here in Davos,“ he said. Bozidar Djelic (FoNet, archive)

Đelić, Bildt call for faster integration

Đelić and Bildt agreed that Serbia’s speedy EU integration was a common aim and that , in that context, engagement was required in three areas.

“The first is unfreezing implementation of the Interim Trade Agreement, the second is that decisive steps are taken during the Swedish presidency in the area of visa liberalization for our country, and the third element is that Serbia and the Western Balkans should play their part in the EU’s proposed plan of measures for weathering the economic crisis,” Đelić explained.

According to the deputy prime minister, Serbia was, in that regard, counting on funds for enhancing infrastructure and energy supply.

“I also discussed this area with European Commission Vice-President Gunther Verheugen, and I expect to have contact with people from the EC responsible for energy, here in Davos,“ he said.