German parliament to give "green light"

BERLIN The German parliament will on Thursday give the green light for its government to vote in favor of opening accession talks with Serbia. This will happen on Friday at the European Council session, chairman of the German parliament's EU affairs committee Gunther Krichbaum has said. German parliament to give "green light" "On Thursday the Bundestag will approve the long-awaited green light for the German government to give its consent at the European Council session on June 27 and 28 for the start of accession talks with Serbia. Still, before the talks begin we should wait for the realization of the implementation plan for the Brussels agreement between Belgrade and Pristina. The implementation will be assessed at a conference in January 2014," Krichbaum told Tanjug. Krichbaum, a politician from the ranks of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) led by Chancellor Angela Merkel - the strongest block in the Bundestag, said the process for Serbia will be similar to the one for Montenegro, where all essential issues were settled before the start of accession talks so they would not block the process. "Thus Serbia will cover a good stretch on the long but irreversible path to the EU," Krichbaum said, noting that the important thing is not when the talks will start, but solid preparation and political will. "I was happy to see Serbia take such courageous and decisive action over the past weeks and months. One thing is clear - if it had not been for these steps in relations with Kosovo, we could not give the green light on Thursday," said Krichbaum. He said gratitude and recognition is due to representatives of the Serbian government who took this path decisively and with a high level of personal commitment, noting he is "happy to see Serbia moving toward the EU." (Beta/AP, file) Tanjug

German parliament to give "green light"

"On Thursday the Bundestag will approve the long-awaited green light for the German government to give its consent at the European Council session on June 27 and 28 for the start of accession talks with Serbia. Still, before the talks begin we should wait for the realization of the implementation plan for the Brussels agreement between Belgrade and Pristina. The implementation will be assessed at a conference in January 2014," Krichbaum told Tanjug.

Krichbaum, a politician from the ranks of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) led by Chancellor Angela Merkel - the strongest block in the Bundestag, said the process for Serbia will be similar to the one for Montenegro, where all essential issues were settled before the start of accession talks so they would not block the process.

"Thus Serbia will cover a good stretch on the long but irreversible path to the EU," Krichbaum said, noting that the important thing is not when the talks will start, but solid preparation and political will.

"I was happy to see Serbia take such courageous and decisive action over the past weeks and months. One thing is clear - if it had not been for these steps in relations with Kosovo, we could not give the green light on Thursday," said Krichbaum.

He said gratitude and recognition is due to representatives of the Serbian government who took this path decisively and with a high level of personal commitment, noting he is "happy to see Serbia moving toward the EU."