Stefan Fuele: EU decided granting candidate status to Serbia

After EU Commission gave positive opinion on Serbian bid for EU candidacy, the EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele says Serbia had made a historical step forward by the EC recommendation for the country to be granted the EU membership candidacy status. "On the basis of the progress achieved in reforms, co-operation with the International Court Tribunal for ex-Yugoslavia, and regional reconciliation, we have decided to recommend granting Serbia Candidate Status on the understanding that Belgrade re-engages in the dialogue with Kosovo and is moving swiftly to the implementation in good faith of agreements reached to date", stated Commissioner Füle on 12 October ahead of his visit to Belgrade on 14 October to present the European Commission's Opinion on Serbia's EU membership application.

"We also propose to open negotiations with Serbia as soon as it achieves further progress in meeting the one key priority we identify, namely: further steps to normalise relations with Kosovo in line with the conditions of the Stabilisation and Association Process," Mr Füle stressed. He will explain the content of the Opinion to the political leaders in Belgrade, where he will meet with the president Boris Tadić, parliament speaker Slavica Đukić-Dejanović, Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković and will also participate at the discussions of the Igman Initiative attended by political leaders of other countries in the region. After the Serbian government's European Integration Council meeting, EU Commissioner Stefan Fule said that “the ball is now in Serbia’s court”.

He praised Serbian government’s efforts regarding reforms, pointing out full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal and important steps toward reconciliation and strengthening of cooperation in the region. Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković, who chaired the meeting, said that the EU remained Serbia’s strategic goal, adding that it was a road to a better and safer life of all citizens.

According to him, the government has improved political, legal and economic systems in the country and brought it closer to the EU standards for the most part in the last three years. Fule met Serbian parliament speaker Slavica Đukić-Dejanović and representatives of MP groups. He is also scheduled to meet with Serbian President Boris Tadić and other Serbian officials in order to personally present European Commission (EC) report on Serbia’s progress and conditions that need to be fulfilled on the EU pathway.

EU commissioner Fuele:

Kosovo recognition is not condition “The EC recommended the candidacy status for Serbia after taking into account the progress it has achieved and assuming that Belgrade will resume its dialogue with Pristina and will soon and in good faith begin to implement the agreements reached so far,” he was quoted as saying. Stating that the recognition of Kosovo was not a formal condition for Serbia's EU integration process, Fule stressed it was vital that the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština now showed further results, as that would improve the lives of citizens and help ensure peace, security and stability in the region.