Brussels, 14/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - During a visit to Serbia, for which the Commission has recommended candidate country status, Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle underlined that it will be possible to open negotiations as soon as Belgrade (Serbia) has moved forward in its relations with Pristina (Kosovo). After a meeting with Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic of Serbia, Füle told Cvetkovic that the ball was now in the latter's court, saying that, as soon as substantial progress has been made, the Commission will recommend that accession talks be opened. The Commission has identified a single key priority, the commissioner said, adding that there are “not 7 or 12 priorities but a single one linked to progress being made in relations with Kosovo”. Füle explained that the EU was working hard to create a climate of confidence to ensure dialogue may be resumed.
The day before, Stefan Füle was in Montenegro. While there, he announced that the country, which is soon to open EU accession talks, had a great deal of hard work before it. He congratulated Montenegro saying the hard work is now about to begin, after underlining that the country had shown real commitment in carrying out reforms, in its proactive approach and in the good progress already achieved over the past ten months. Stefan Füle said Montenegro would be the first candidate country in a new process of integration, one that is more demanding, with the opening of talks with chapters on fundamental rights, justice, freedom and security. Prime Minister Igor Luksic, for his part, said Podgorica is ready to meet the new demanding phase in European integration, explaining: “We have already managed to show that our institutions can raise difficult challenges.” (CG/transl.jl)