"Visa liberalization, EU candidacy possible in 2009"

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic was in Budapest on Monday for an official visit to Hungary. "With the strong support of devoted friends such as Hungary" Serbia could become an official candidate for EU membership and wind up on "the white Schengen list" by the end of 2009, he said. "Visa liberalization, EU candidacy possible in 2009" Speaking at Corvinus University, Jeremic stressed that "the central strategic priority of the Serbian government is to rapidly move the country toward membership in the EU." He expressed the hope that "by re-doubling the efforts in Serbia and enhancing the good will in Europe," 2009 could be a leap year in Serbia's European integrations. According to the minister, "a realistic, concrete and feasible package for enhancing Serbia's European prospects in 2009" means the liberalization of the visa regime for Serbia's citizens, unfreezing the interim trade agreement between the EU and Serbia and submitting a candidacy for EU membership. Jeremic expressed the hope that a visa-free travel regime for Serbia's citizens would be implemented by the end of the year. Speaking about the unfreezing of the EU-Serbia agreement, Jeremic recalled that the process of Serbia's accession to the EU was "on hold," because, as he said, there was still not full consensus in Europe about Belgrade's cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. Jeremic added that Serbia therefore had prepared a constructive suggestion – an invitation to the EU mission "to come to Belgrade in order to determine the facts and get a more complete picture of Belgrade's cooperation – a picture that would complement that of the Hague tribunal's Prosecution." The third part of the proposed package for achieving tangible results in 2009, according to the minister, is the submission of Serbia's candidacy for membership in the EU. He added that "with the strong support of devoted friends, such as Hungary," Serbia could receive the status of a candidate country by the end of 2009. Jeremic stressed that Serbia was devoted to strengthening regional cooperation, despite the decision by certain neighbors to recognize Kosovo. Vuk Jeremic (Tanjug, archive)

"Visa liberalization, EU candidacy possible in 2009"

Speaking at Corvinus University, Jeremić stressed that "the central strategic priority of the Serbian government is to rapidly move the country toward membership in the EU."

He expressed the hope that "by re-doubling the efforts in Serbia and enhancing the good will in Europe," 2009 could be a leap year in Serbia's European integrations.

According to the minister, "a realistic, concrete and feasible package for enhancing Serbia's European prospects in 2009" means the liberalization of the visa regime for Serbia's citizens, unfreezing the interim trade agreement between the EU and Serbia and submitting a candidacy for EU membership.

Jeremić expressed the hope that a visa-free travel regime for Serbia's citizens would be implemented by the end of the year.

Speaking about the unfreezing of the EU-Serbia agreement, Jeremić recalled that the process of Serbia's accession to the EU was "on hold," because, as he said, there was still not full consensus in Europe about Belgrade's cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.

Jeremić added that Serbia therefore had prepared a constructive suggestion – an invitation to the EU mission "to come to Belgrade in order to determine the facts and get a more complete picture of Belgrade's cooperation – a picture that would complement that of the Hague tribunal's Prosecution."

The third part of the proposed package for achieving tangible results in 2009, according to the minister, is the submission of Serbia's candidacy for membership in the EU. He added that "with the strong support of devoted friends, such as Hungary," Serbia could receive the status of a candidate country by the end of 2009.

Jeremić stressed that Serbia was devoted to strengthening regional cooperation, despite the decision by certain neighbors to recognize Kosovo.