Bildt: Right time for candidacy

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said that this is “the right moment” for Serbia to apply for candidate status for joining the EU. Bildt said that the implementation of the interim trade agreement with the EU has enabled Serbia to apply in Stockholm tomorrow. Bildt: Right time for candidacy Asked whether it is the right moment, taking into consideration that the majority of EU member-states support Serbia’s candidacy while some do not, Bildt said that he “thinks it is.” He explained that it is one of the most important elements of the total and significant turn-around and integration effort of the Western Balkans, which was stagnating six months ago. “The fact is that the interim trade agreement has taken power, which opens the door for the Serbian candidacy for membership, and presents a very important part of the complete new upswing in the process of EU integration for the countries of the Western Balkans,” Bildt said. Asked whether Sweden will press for the ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) in June even if the remaining Hague fugitives are not arrested by then, Bildt said that the Stockholm government “will be in the position to begin the ratification” of the SAA. He added that the question of “whether there is a theoretical chance” that there will be a significant negative turn-around in cooperation between Belgrade and the Hague Tribunal can be asked—which would put the ratification into question. However, Bildt said that he doubts that there is any chance of something like that happening. Carl Bildt (FoNet, file)

Bildt: Right time for candidacy

Asked whether it is the right moment, taking into consideration that the majority of EU member-states support Serbia’s candidacy while some do not, Bildt said that he “thinks it is.”

He explained that it is one of the most important elements of the total and significant turn-around and integration effort of the Western Balkans, which was stagnating six months ago.

“The fact is that the interim trade agreement has taken power, which opens the door for the Serbian candidacy for membership, and presents a very important part of the complete new upswing in the process of EU integration for the countries of the Western Balkans,” Bildt said.

Asked whether Sweden will press for the ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) in June even if the remaining Hague fugitives are not arrested by then, Bildt said that the Stockholm government “will be in the position to begin the ratification” of the SAA.

He added that the question of “whether there is a theoretical chance” that there will be a significant negative turn-around in cooperation between Belgrade and the Hague Tribunal can be asked—which would put the ratification into question.

However, Bildt said that he doubts that there is any chance of something like that happening.