Serbian, Finnish presidents meet in Belgrade

Finland's President Tarja Halonen has arrived here for a two-day visit and is holding meetings with Serbia's top officials. Halonen was welcomed with a ceremony in front of the Palace of Serbia, and has conferred with Serbian President Boris Tadic. Serbian, Finnish presidents meet in Belgrade Tadic has stated that Belgrade will fulfill all the criteria for the EU membership because it wants to get the candidate status by the end of the year. The Serbian president also hopes that Serbia will get a date for the beginning of the EU accession negotiations by the end of 2011. “Serbia should fulfill a series of criteria, primarily regarding the restitution issue and establishment of a judicial and political system according to Brussels’ standards,” he said after the meeting with the Finnish president. The Serbian president is convinced that there is a majority support in the Serbian parliament to speedy fulfillment of the EU criteria. He said that he hoped that the EU enlargement idea would not stop due to failed economies and financial problems of some of the eurozone countries. “We hope that, despite some protests regarding the EU enlargement, the parties and forces that advocate the fast enlargement idea will prevail,” Tadic stressed. He said that he and Halonen had discussed the two countries’ bilateral relations as well as security situation in the world and “problems regarding war operations in Libya”. The Serbian president thanked Finland for its full support to Serbia’s EU path. The Finnish president has stated that Serbia needs to fulfill certain criteria in order to join the EU, just like Finland needed to do. “This is why Finland is ready to help Serbia and all other countries that want this, because it supports the EU enlargement,” she pointed out. “There is no shortcut to the EU. Everybody hopes there is, but there is not,” Halonen said and added that Finland supported Serbia “in the most efficient steps toward the accession”. Halonen is also to meet Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic and parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and visit Novi Sad. Halonen and Tadic in Belgrade today (Tanjug) Encouragement to Serbia In an interview ahead of the visit, Talonen told B92 she would encourage Serbia to be more active in the process of EU integrations. She also stated she would tell her hosts the country should become an active member of the European political forum and that she would encourage Serbia to soon become a member of the EU, "which will certainly happen one day". "I must say your wishes are realistic. Still, naturally, I cannot guarantee that this will happen," Talonen said of Serbia's EU ambition. "The European Commission's agreement is needed and the process will proceed. But I see no particular obstacle to it. Of course, we are aware that there are contentious issues linked to Serbia's past, which I'm certain can be resolved," said the Finnish president.

Serbian, Finnish presidents meet in Belgrade

Tadić has stated that Belgrade will fulfill all the criteria for the EU membership because it wants to get the candidate status by the end of the year.

The Serbian president also hopes that Serbia will get a date for the beginning of the EU accession negotiations by the end of 2011.

“Serbia should fulfill a series of criteria, primarily regarding the restitution issue and establishment of a judicial and political system according to Brussels’ standards,” he said after the meeting with the Finnish president.

The Serbian president is convinced that there is a majority support in the Serbian parliament to speedy fulfillment of the EU criteria.

He said that he hoped that the EU enlargement idea would not stop due to failed economies and financial problems of some of the eurozone countries.

“We hope that, despite some protests regarding the EU enlargement, the parties and forces that advocate the fast enlargement idea will prevail,” Tadić stressed.

He said that he and Halonen had discussed the two countries’ bilateral relations as well as security situation in the world and “problems regarding war operations in Libya”.

The Serbian president thanked Finland for its full support to Serbia’s EU path.

The Finnish president has stated that Serbia needs to fulfill certain criteria in order to join the EU, just like Finland needed to do.

“This is why Finland is ready to help Serbia and all other countries that want this, because it supports the EU enlargement,” she pointed out.

“There is no shortcut to the EU. Everybody hopes there is, but there is not,” Halonen said and added that Finland supported Serbia “in the most efficient steps toward the accession”.

Halonen is also to meet Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković and parliament Speaker Slavica Đukic-Dejanović, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and visit Novi Sad.

Encouragement to Serbia

In an interview ahead of the visit, Talonen told B92 she would encourage Serbia to be more active in the process of EU integrations.

She also stated she would tell her hosts the country should become an active member of the European political forum and that she would encourage Serbia to soon become a member of the EU, "which will certainly happen one day".

"I must say your wishes are realistic. Still, naturally, I cannot guarantee that this will happen," Talonen said of Serbia's EU ambition.

"The European Commission's agreement is needed and the process will proceed. But I see no particular obstacle to it. Of course, we are aware that there are contentious issues linked to Serbia's past, which I'm certain can be resolved," said the Finnish president.