SAA ratification positive stimulus

According to the first reactions, adoption of Serbia’s Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) is a positive stimulus for further EU integration. Serbian PM Mirko Cvetkovic has stated he expects that the SAA ratification would encourage other EU member states that still have not ratified the SAA to do so. SAA ratification positive stimulus “We need all EU member states to ratify the agreement before we formally receive the candidate status. This is good news and I expect that this will be finished by the second half of the year when we will get the candidate status,” the PM pointed out. Head of the Serbian government's EU Integration Office Milica Delevic said Wednesday that the ratification of Serbia's SAA in the European Parliament (EP) was an exceptionally important step for Serbia on the road to the EU. "Of the many steps that await us on the road to the EU, this is an exceptionally important one," Delevic told Tanjug. She pointed out that this would be a signal to the remaining EU member countries to ratify the agreement in their national parliaments, which would lead Serbia into a more comprehensive contract with the EU. "Even more importantly, it is a signal to us in Serbia to keep working and continue reforms, which, in addition to bringing changes in the country, also secure us support and continued acceptance in the process of European integration," Delevic concluded. President of the Serbian Foreign Ministry's Foreign Affairs Council Sonja Liht stated on Wednesday that the ratification of the SAA Serbia signed with the EU and the adoption of the resolution on Serbia in the EP represented a very important step forward for Serbia and confirmed that Serbia was surely on the right European track. “What is important is for our entire society to understand that the EU accession and the integration process are exactly that, and that step by step, Serbia is getting closer to achieving its goal,” she told Tanjug. According to her, the process is highly important since through it Serbia is changing its standards and accepting the things that will help make the society in the country more developed and open. Liht expressed hope that the ratification of the SAA with Serbia in the EP would encourage the countries that had not ratified the document yet to do so and thus accelerate the process, while the resolution would be very important since it was much more positive than some other documents of the kind had been so far. She concluded that by adopting the resolution, the EP had confirmed that Serbia was on the right track to the EU. Professor of International Relations at the Belgrade Political Science Faculty, Predrag Simic said that this date was very important in the history of Serbia's EU accession and that it consolidated its European commitment. “Serbia's endeavors for EU accession have been rewarded,” he stressed. “The European Parliament has ratified Serbia's Stabilization and Association Agreement and adopted a resolution on Serbia that supports the country's EU integration,” the professor noted. “In the long term, this is very important, as it boosts the somewhat flagging trust of Serbia's public in the EU,” Simic told Tanjug. “Paradoxically, the EP has ratified the SAA before 16 EU member states did,” Simic said, expressing his conviction that this would encourage the remaining EU countries to follow suit. Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic has expressed satisfaction over the fact that an overwhelming majority of EP members supported the ratification of Serbia's SAA and a new Resolution on Serbia, pointing out this is the confirmation of unequivocal support for Serbia's further progress toward the EU. "The EP ratified the SAA with an overwhelming majority of 90 percent, which is a great success for our citizens and our country, as the vote shows the great support our country enjoys in the EU," he told Tanjug after attending the vote in the EP. "The fact that all countries and all political groups voted in favor of ratification shows the unequivocal support for future steps on our European path," the Deputy PM added. Talking about the resolution, Djelic said it was supported by 94 percent of MPs. "We want to get candidate status by the end of the year and start accession talks soon after that," he specified. He added that Serbia managed to stop the adoption of "an amendment which was supposed to condemn Serbia's failure to attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, as well as to soften an amendment on Kosovo and dialogue, which just barely passed even in its more moderate version." Djelic noted that the upcoming dialogue was not within the authority of the EP, but of the European Commission and the office of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.

SAA ratification positive stimulus

“We need all EU member states to ratify the agreement before we formally receive the candidate status. This is good news and I expect that this will be finished by the second half of the year when we will get the candidate status,” the PM pointed out.

Head of the Serbian government's EU Integration Office Milica Delević said Wednesday that the ratification of Serbia's SAA in the European Parliament (EP) was an exceptionally important step for Serbia on the road to the EU.

"Of the many steps that await us on the road to the EU, this is an exceptionally important one," Delević told Tanjug.

She pointed out that this would be a signal to the remaining EU member countries to ratify the agreement in their national parliaments, which would lead Serbia into a more comprehensive contract with the EU.

"Even more importantly, it is a signal to us in Serbia to keep working and continue reforms, which, in addition to bringing changes in the country, also secure us support and continued acceptance in the process of European integration," Delević concluded.

President of the Serbian Foreign Ministry's Foreign Affairs Council Sonja Liht stated on Wednesday that the ratification of the SAA Serbia signed with the EU and the adoption of the resolution on Serbia in the EP represented a very important step forward for Serbia and confirmed that Serbia was surely on the right European track.

“What is important is for our entire society to understand that the EU accession and the integration process are exactly that, and that step by step, Serbia is getting closer to achieving its goal,” she told Tanjug.

According to her, the process is highly important since through it Serbia is changing its standards and accepting the things that will help make the society in the country more developed and open.

Liht expressed hope that the ratification of the SAA with Serbia in the EP would encourage the countries that had not ratified the document yet to do so and thus accelerate the process, while the resolution would be very important since it was much more positive than some other documents of the kind had been so far.

She concluded that by adopting the resolution, the EP had confirmed that Serbia was on the right track to the EU.

Professor of International Relations at the Belgrade Political Science Faculty, Predrag Simić said that this date was very important in the history of Serbia's EU accession and that it consolidated its European commitment.

“Serbia's endeavors for EU accession have been rewarded,” he stressed.

“The European Parliament has ratified Serbia's Stabilization and Association Agreement and adopted a resolution on Serbia that supports the country's EU integration,” the professor noted.

“In the long term, this is very important, as it boosts the somewhat flagging trust of Serbia's public in the EU,” Simić told Tanjug.

“Paradoxically, the EP has ratified the SAA before 16 EU member states did,” Simić said, expressing his conviction that this would encourage the remaining EU countries to follow suit.

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić has expressed satisfaction over the fact that an overwhelming majority of EP members supported the ratification of Serbia's SAA and a new Resolution on Serbia, pointing out this is the confirmation of unequivocal support for Serbia's further progress toward the EU.

"The EP ratified the SAA with an overwhelming majority of 90 percent, which is a great success for our citizens and our country, as the vote shows the great support our country enjoys in the EU," he told Tanjug after attending the vote in the EP.

"The fact that all countries and all political groups voted in favor of ratification shows the unequivocal support for future steps on our European path," the Deputy PM added.

Talking about the resolution, Đelić said it was supported by 94 percent of MPs.

"We want to get candidate status by the end of the year and start accession talks soon after that," he specified.

He added that Serbia managed to stop the adoption of "an amendment which was supposed to condemn Serbia's failure to attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, as well as to soften an amendment on Kosovo and dialogue, which just barely passed even in its more moderate version."

Đelić noted that the upcoming dialogue was not within the authority of the EP, but of the European Commission and the office of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.