MEPs want political background of assassination solved

BELGRADE Christian Danielsson has said that he received a letter sent by several MEPs regarding what they propose to be a new condition for Serbia's EU membership. The group of European parliament members want Serbia's EU accession talks to be conditioned by solving the political background of the murder of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, the director of the EU Commission Directorate-General for Enlargement, who is visiting Belgrade, has confirmed. MEPs want political background of assassination solved Danielsson refused to say whether the letter sent by four MEPs could become the official condition for Serbia's EU accession talks. Addressing reporters at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade, he refused to speculate on this issue, noting that "the letter arrived and that replies are sent to all received letters." Commenting on the requests by heads of the four strongest caucuses in the EP to set the solving of the political background of Djindjic's murder as the condition for the opening of Chapter 23 (judiciary and fundamental rights) in the accession talks, Danielsson said that the EU is monitoring the functioning of rule of law on grounds of criteria in Chapter 23 and 24 (justice, freedom and security). The letter which Tanjug had a chance to see is dated January 21, the day the first intergovernmental conference between Serbia and the EU was held, and it was signed by Arnaud Danjean, Maria Elena Copa, Jelko Kacin, and Marije Cornelissen. Zoran Djindjic was shot and killed in Belgrade in March 2003. In 2007, former JSO unit commander Milorad Ulemek and member of the unit Zvezdan Jovanovic, along with a group of other conspirators, were found guilty and sentenced to 40 years in prison each. (Beta/AP, file) Tanjug

MEPs want political background of assassination solved

Danielsson refused to say whether the letter sent by four MEPs could become the official condition for Serbia's EU accession talks.

Addressing reporters at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade, he refused to speculate on this issue, noting that "the letter arrived and that replies are sent to all received letters."

Commenting on the requests by heads of the four strongest caucuses in the EP to set the solving of the political background of Đinđić's murder as the condition for the opening of Chapter 23 (judiciary and fundamental rights) in the accession talks, Danielsson said that the EU is monitoring the functioning of rule of law on grounds of criteria in Chapter 23 and 24 (justice, freedom and security).

The letter which Tanjug had a chance to see is dated January 21, the day the first intergovernmental conference between Serbia and the EU was held, and it was signed by Arnaud Danjean, Maria Elena Copa, Jelko Kacin, and Marije Cornelissen.

Zoran Đinđić was shot and killed in Belgrade in March 2003. In 2007, former JSO unit commander Milorad Ulemek and member of the unit Zvezdan Jovanović, along with a group of other conspirators, were found guilty and sentenced to 40 years in prison each.