“Serbia should get EU talks date”

BELGRADE European Parliament (EP) President Martin Schultz believes the EU should set a date for the beginning of the EU accession negotiations for Serbia. He stressed that the EP’s Foreign Affairs Committee would say in a draft resolution that Serbia had make a great effort. “Serbia should get EU talks date” “I believe the EU leaders should set a date for the start of Serbia’s negotiations if Serbia continues to implement reforms and play a constructive role in the region,” Schultz told Belgrade-based tabloid Kurir. He underscored that it would be said in the draft resolution on Serbia that Serbia had made great progress but that “ there is no room to celebrate in advance”. “You still have a lot of work ahead of you, primarily in combat against corruption and organized crime, as well as on strengthening of state institutions and judicial system,” the EP president explained. He assessed that progress in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue was visible and that a meeting between Serbian and Kosovo Presidents Tomislav Nikolic and Atifete Jahjaga was a sign that Belgrade and Pristina were ready to normalize relations. According to Schultz, meetings between Serbian and Kosovo PMs Ivica Dacic and Hashim Thaci in Brussels are also very important for both sides and their European goals. “Belgrade and Pristina should discuss the entire picture, that is if they still cannot talk about a final solution for the problem,” he was quoted as saying. Expressing belief that the Serbian government “is generally and honestly committed to combat against corruption and organized crime”, the EP president said that these phenomena were hard to root out if state institutions were not strong and independent. “Weak links in the institutions, police, prosecution and courts can undermine the government’s general determination to fight against corruption,” Schultz warned. Martin Schultz (Tanjug, file) Beta

“Serbia should get EU talks date”

“I believe the EU leaders should set a date for the start of Serbia’s negotiations if Serbia continues to implement reforms and play a constructive role in the region,” Schultz told Belgrade-based tabloid Kurir.

He underscored that it would be said in the draft resolution on Serbia that Serbia had made great progress but that “ there is no room to celebrate in advance”.

“You still have a lot of work ahead of you, primarily in combat against corruption and organized crime, as well as on strengthening of state institutions and judicial system,” the EP president explained.

He assessed that progress in the Belgrade-Priština dialogue was visible and that a meeting between Serbian and Kosovo Presidents Tomislav Nikolić and Atifete Jahjaga was a sign that Belgrade and Priština were ready to normalize relations.

According to Schultz, meetings between Serbian and Kosovo PMs Ivica Dačić and Hashim Thaci in Brussels are also very important for both sides and their European goals.

“Belgrade and Priština should discuss the entire picture, that is if they still cannot talk about a final solution for the problem,” he was quoted as saying.

Expressing belief that the Serbian government “is generally and honestly committed to combat against corruption and organized crime”, the EP president said that these phenomena were hard to root out if state institutions were not strong and independent.

“Weak links in the institutions, police, prosecution and courts can undermine the government’s general determination to fight against corruption,” Schultz warned.