mseap

NEWS

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SUBJECT Serbia's accession to the European Union
DATE 2018-02-01
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In the face of EU’s enlargement strategy, Serbia is getting its hopes high of joining the bloc.

 

 

Simultaneously, the Balkan state is implementing reforms and working with neighbors on all open bilateral issues, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic told visiting European Parliament President Antonio Tajani Wednesday.

 

 

PM Brnabic expressed that she expects a new EU strategy of enlargement, which is due to be published early February in Strasbourg, to contain an encouraging message for the Balkan state and its people.

 

 

Serbian PM Ana Brnabic (left) and European Parliament Pres. Antonio Tajani (Photo: European Parliament)

 

 

Likewise, the Serbian government announced in a statement that they saw this as a clear signal that the EU views Serbia as a potential full member of the Union.

 

 

Accession negotiations between Serbia and the EU have been going on for a number of years now, with the EU having allocated 1.5 billion euros ($1.8 billion) for Serbia in support for its preparation to join the Union.

 

 

Brnabic pointed out that Serbia — expected to join the EU by 2025 — was accelerating the opening of chapters of the EU acquis.

 

 

“She said that the end goal for the reforms implemented by the government of Serbia is not only the full membership in the EU, but also to use them as a mechanism to develop the society internally,” the statement added.

 

 

Serbian government officials and representatives of the European Parliament (European Parliament)

 

 

Tajani and Brnabic agreed upon further reforms and for Serbia to direct all efforts to resolve issues around most important chapters such as 23 and 24 that deal with the rule of law and the judiciary system.

 

 

Tajani said the EU supported the continuation of dialogue between Serbia and its southern province of Kosovo, that unilaterally declared independence in 2008, as the only definite path that will lead to the stability of the whole region.

 

 

The two have agreed that “it is important to work jointly to improve the institutional cooperation between Serbia and the European Parliament.”

 

 

During his visit, Tajani also met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic to discuss the country’s European integration and reforms.

 

 

By MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr)