FM: Changes in society more urgent than EU

A successful transformation of the society is a more urgent task for Serbia than a debate when we will become an EU member state or not, FM Vuk Jeremic says. “The way things are now there is no doubt that a successful transformation of our society is a more urgent job than a debate how we are going to formalize the achievement after we achieve it,” he said. FM: Changes in society more urgent than EU “My argument is that when it comes to Serbia, it is neither a fundamental nor a relevant issue to respond to it at the moment or in near future for any other EU member state,” the foreign minster stressed. According to Jeremic a difference should be made between further support to the continuation of reforms and the question whether Serbia would be allowed to become an EU member. “Not only that we have been far away from dealing with the issue for years but it is almost impossible to predict what exactly the institutional scenery would be like at that moment. That is why I think we should concentrate on concrete, direct issues that are before us,” he explained. The minister also pointed out that the further strengthening of the EU’s architecture of peace, stability and reconciliation in the Western Balkans remained a common interest. Assessing that Serbia should concentrate on fulfillment of the Copenhagen criteria and conditions for regional cooperation determined by the stabilization and association process, Jeremic noted that this meant that the Western Balkan states should join the comprehensive reform process and that the EU should support, facilitate and encourage the process “with a fair and objective assessment of the criteria”. The Serbian foreign minister pointed out that significant progress had been made in harmonization of our part of Europe with the rest of it thanks to joint efforts, adding that if we wanted the Western Balkans to stay on the reform course “stopping of the EU enlargement must not be allowed”. He repeated that it was a common interest for the EU to continue to support regional stability and reconciliation in the Balkans in order to guarantee that the reform process would continue. “Continuation of the Union’s involvement will allow us not only to protect what we have built but also to transform our societies. Stopping us or taking a break is not constructive especially because we are not asking much,” Jeremic concluded. Vuk Jeremic

FM: Changes in society more urgent than EU

“My argument is that when it comes to Serbia, it is neither a fundamental nor a relevant issue to respond to it at the moment or in near future for any other EU member state,” the foreign minster stressed.

According to Jeremić a difference should be made between further support to the continuation of reforms and the question whether Serbia would be allowed to become an EU member.

“Not only that we have been far away from dealing with the issue for years but it is almost impossible to predict what exactly the institutional scenery would be like at that moment. That is why I think we should concentrate on concrete, direct issues that are before us,” he explained.

The minister also pointed out that the further strengthening of the EU’s architecture of peace, stability and reconciliation in the Western Balkans remained a common interest.

Assessing that Serbia should concentrate on fulfillment of the Copenhagen criteria and conditions for regional cooperation determined by the stabilization and association process, Jeremić noted that this meant that the Western Balkan states should join the comprehensive reform process and that the EU should support, facilitate and encourage the process “with a fair and objective assessment of the criteria”.

The Serbian foreign minister pointed out that significant progress had been made in harmonization of our part of Europe with the rest of it thanks to joint efforts, adding that if we wanted the Western Balkans to stay on the reform course “stopping of the EU enlargement must not be allowed”.

He repeated that it was a common interest for the EU to continue to support regional stability and reconciliation in the Balkans in order to guarantee that the reform process would continue.

“Continuation of the Union’s involvement will allow us not only to protect what we have built but also to transform our societies. Stopping us or taking a break is not constructive especially because we are not asking much,” Jeremić concluded.