Croatia unblocks Chapter 26 in Serbia's EU accession talks
Croatian Foreign Minister Davor Ivo Stir said on Friday that his country has "unblocked Serbia."
Source: Beta, Tanjug
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"The conditions have been met for us to lift our reserves concerning Chapter 26, and I want to say that within Chapter 23 we will monitor the fulfilling of all obligations concerning national minorities, with the emphasis on the Croat minority," said Stir.
Zagreb's decision to lift the veto came after the Serbian Ministry of Education signed earlier in the day annexes to a memorandum of cooperation with the national textbook publisher and representatives of Serbia's seven national minorities that have access to education in their mother tongues.
The annexes will ensure an additional 84 textbooks in minority languages, including 18 in Croatian.
Stir said he welcomed the document signed by the Serbian minister of education and representatives of the Croat minority.
Croatian media said that the signing was attended by ambassadors of Croatia, the EU, and Bulgaria.
"I want to say that at our request, (EU) Commissioner Hahn reported to me and gave further explanations that we requested and it is clear from these explanations that the commissioner will be personally involved in overseeing all obligations in the field of minority education," Stir said on Friday.
Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Friday afternoon said he was "grateful to Croatia" for unblocking Chapter 26.
But when reporters in Belgrade told him the news, he was "surprised," Beta is reporting, and asked:
"The conditions have been met? What is it I did over the past seven days?"
Croatia was TOLD not asked but TOLD to signed up LOL.
(sj, 26 December 2016 11:16)
Of course, the CE of B92 forums sj TOLD Croatia to do so. The CE of B92 forums sj does not ask; he/she issues commands that are mandatory for any human or animal creature to immediately carry out and Crotia did just that :)
P.S. CE = Chief Economist
(icj1, 28 December 2016 02:50)
The Croats would not sign Chapter 25 on the pretext that school text books for Croat children in Serbia were not up to “their standards”. Vucic told the EU its everything or nothing then walked out.
Next came a statement from Plenkovic that this will be resolved after the new year. I watched HRTV on Saturday and one of Plenkovic’s minister declare that the problem was resolved and the text book s were now up to standard. Vucic had to restrain himself from bursting into hysterical laughter and only saying that he has not met with anyone over the issue. Well guess what? Croatia was TOLD not asked but TOLD to signed up LOL.
I am not an advocate for Serbia joining the EU and would be the happiest if it did not, but Serbia is far, far more important to the EU than Croats. I said many times the Croats were going to make enormous FOOLS of themselves and they have, brilliantly. Looking forward to their next efforts to keep everyone amused. What would we do without those clowns LOL.
(sj, 26 December 2016 11:16)
b92 you are very childish, still using stone-age maps.
(erion, 24 December 2016 02:33)
Well spotted erion they appear to have divided Greater Serbia up into it's constituent republics just like that dictator Tito did. We shall insist on an immediate correction!Thanks for pointing it out, cartographers such as your good-self are thin on the ground these days..
(Erik, 26 December 2016 00:11)
I agree. Montenegro is clearly occupying parts of southern Serbia. B92 should know better. It's a problem not of b92 but of the Serbs including Montenegrins.
(Navi, 25 December 2016 00:24)
Serbs are making a big mistake about Montenegro. First you let them go so easily and now you play Soros game to increase the split. Montenegrins are innosent childs when it comes to corruption in Ukraine but see how the Russians behave. We talk about the crimes in Ukraine but we insist that we are one people. I believe that Serbs must behave similar in Montenegrin issues. Everybody who will doubt your unity is a mortal enemy of both Serbs and Montenegrins. To say nothing that applying to b92 to judge you in your internal problems sounds very ridiculous. It's a problem not of b92 but of the Serbs including the Montenegrins.
(rote, 25 December 2016 18:35)
Daaamn croatians, why you unblocked it?? Keep blocking us plz, we dont want to go to EU (90% of Serbs dont want to live in EU) and become cheap labor colony!
(Nemanja, 25 December 2016 13:34)
Croatia Have seen the Light in Form of Russia and Mr Putin. Now serbia should make they demand to EU before joining EU. which won't happen until 2027 by that time EU will be non existent.
(Justice League, 23 December 2016 23:33)
Never, huh? We ALL better consider that if we cannot forgive each other, how is our GOD to forgive YOU for all transgressions against HIM and his SON? And he has the final say, whether you like it or not! Whether you agree or not!
(Watcher, 23 December 2016 17:16)
Daaamn croatians, why you unblocked it?? Keep blocking us plz, we dont want to go to EU (90% of Serbs dont want to live in EU) and become cheap labor colony!
(Nemanja, 25 December 2016 13:34)
The Croats would not sign Chapter 25 on the pretext that school text books for Croat children in Serbia were not up to “their standards”. Vucic told the EU its everything or nothing then walked out.
Next came a statement from Plenkovic that this will be resolved after the new year. I watched HRTV on Saturday and one of Plenkovic’s minister declare that the problem was resolved and the text book s were now up to standard. Vucic had to restrain himself from bursting into hysterical laughter and only saying that he has not met with anyone over the issue. Well guess what? Croatia was TOLD not asked but TOLD to signed up LOL.
I am not an advocate for Serbia joining the EU and would be the happiest if it did not, but Serbia is far, far more important to the EU than Croats. I said many times the Croats were going to make enormous FOOLS of themselves and they have, brilliantly. Looking forward to their next efforts to keep everyone amused. What would we do without those clowns LOL.
(sj, 26 December 2016 11:16)
Croatia Have seen the Light in Form of Russia and Mr Putin. Now serbia should make they demand to EU before joining EU. which won't happen until 2027 by that time EU will be non existent.
(Justice League, 23 December 2016 23:33)
Never, huh? We ALL better consider that if we cannot forgive each other, how is our GOD to forgive YOU for all transgressions against HIM and his SON? And he has the final say, whether you like it or not! Whether you agree or not!
(Watcher, 23 December 2016 17:16)
I agree. Montenegro is clearly occupying parts of southern Serbia. B92 should know better. It's a problem not of b92 but of the Serbs including Montenegrins.
(Navi, 25 December 2016 00:24)
Serbs are making a big mistake about Montenegro. First you let them go so easily and now you play Soros game to increase the split. Montenegrins are innosent childs when it comes to corruption in Ukraine but see how the Russians behave. We talk about the crimes in Ukraine but we insist that we are one people. I believe that Serbs must behave similar in Montenegrin issues. Everybody who will doubt your unity is a mortal enemy of both Serbs and Montenegrins. To say nothing that applying to b92 to judge you in your internal problems sounds very ridiculous. It's a problem not of b92 but of the Serbs including the Montenegrins.
(rote, 25 December 2016 18:35)
b92 you are very childish, still using stone-age maps.
(erion, 24 December 2016 02:33)
Well spotted erion they appear to have divided Greater Serbia up into it's constituent republics just like that dictator Tito did. We shall insist on an immediate correction!Thanks for pointing it out, cartographers such as your good-self are thin on the ground these days..
(Erik, 26 December 2016 00:11)
Croatia was TOLD not asked but TOLD to signed up LOL.
(sj, 26 December 2016 11:16)
Of course, the CE of B92 forums sj TOLD Croatia to do so. The CE of B92 forums sj does not ask; he/she issues commands that are mandatory for any human or animal creature to immediately carry out and Crotia did just that :)
P.S. CE = Chief Economist
(icj1, 28 December 2016 02:50)
Never, huh? We ALL better consider that if we cannot forgive each other, how is our GOD to forgive YOU for all transgressions against HIM and his SON? And he has the final say, whether you like it or not! Whether you agree or not!
(Watcher, 23 December 2016 17:16)
Croatia Have seen the Light in Form of Russia and Mr Putin. Now serbia should make they demand to EU before joining EU. which won't happen until 2027 by that time EU will be non existent.
(Justice League, 23 December 2016 23:33)
I agree. Montenegro is clearly occupying parts of southern Serbia. B92 should know better. It's a problem not of b92 but of the Serbs including Montenegrins.
(Navi, 25 December 2016 00:24)
Serbs are making a big mistake about Montenegro. First you let them go so easily and now you play Soros game to increase the split. Montenegrins are innosent childs when it comes to corruption in Ukraine but see how the Russians behave. We talk about the crimes in Ukraine but we insist that we are one people. I believe that Serbs must behave similar in Montenegrin issues. Everybody who will doubt your unity is a mortal enemy of both Serbs and Montenegrins. To say nothing that applying to b92 to judge you in your internal problems sounds very ridiculous. It's a problem not of b92 but of the Serbs including the Montenegrins.
(rote, 25 December 2016 18:35)
Daaamn croatians, why you unblocked it?? Keep blocking us plz, we dont want to go to EU (90% of Serbs dont want to live in EU) and become cheap labor colony!
(Nemanja, 25 December 2016 13:34)
The Croats would not sign Chapter 25 on the pretext that school text books for Croat children in Serbia were not up to “their standards”. Vucic told the EU its everything or nothing then walked out.
Next came a statement from Plenkovic that this will be resolved after the new year. I watched HRTV on Saturday and one of Plenkovic’s minister declare that the problem was resolved and the text book s were now up to standard. Vucic had to restrain himself from bursting into hysterical laughter and only saying that he has not met with anyone over the issue. Well guess what? Croatia was TOLD not asked but TOLD to signed up LOL.
I am not an advocate for Serbia joining the EU and would be the happiest if it did not, but Serbia is far, far more important to the EU than Croats. I said many times the Croats were going to make enormous FOOLS of themselves and they have, brilliantly. Looking forward to their next efforts to keep everyone amused. What would we do without those clowns LOL.
(sj, 26 December 2016 11:16)
Croatia was TOLD not asked but TOLD to signed up LOL.
(sj, 26 December 2016 11:16)
Of course, the CE of B92 forums sj TOLD Croatia to do so. The CE of B92 forums sj does not ask; he/she issues commands that are mandatory for any human or animal creature to immediately carry out and Crotia did just that :)
P.S. CE = Chief Economist
(icj1, 28 December 2016 02:50)
b92 you are very childish, still using stone-age maps.
(erion, 24 December 2016 02:33)
Well spotted erion they appear to have divided Greater Serbia up into it's constituent republics just like that dictator Tito did. We shall insist on an immediate correction!Thanks for pointing it out, cartographers such as your good-self are thin on the ground these days..
(Erik, 26 December 2016 00:11)