Brussels, 26/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - The Belgian minister for foreign affairs, Didier Reynders, has said he hopes that Serbia can at least obtain a conditional start date for negotiations with the EU at the December Council. He explained that certain countries, including Belgium, have started an initiative to send a positive message to Serbia at the December Council.
In an interview with Vecernje novosti which was quoted on the internet website B92 on 23 November, Reynders said that he was under the impression that the member states had added new conditions for Belgrade at the European Council in December 2011 - which “surprised” him a little. “I was under the impression that they asked Serbia to fulfil certain things that can only be done when the process starts. This is why everything is uncertain now”, he said. Serbia's accession is linked to its relations with Kosovo, he also added.
On 25 November, Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic recalled his determination to negotiate with Kosovo. “Nobody will give Kosovo back to us if we say 'we do not want to join the EU'. We have managed to return to the negotiating table and it would be completely wrong to leave now”, he said, according to the news agency Beta. He added that Belgrade is on the European track. “This is our decision, because it is good for Serbian citizens”, he explained.
Progress at judicial level. Progress in reforms is another condition for the opening of negotiations. During his meeting with the Serbian minister for justice and public administration, Nikola Selakovic, on 23 November, European Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Füle highlighted Belgrade's progress. “Serbia is expected to align its justice and public administration with the EU acquis and to fight efficiently against corruption. I am encouraged to see what has been achieved since our last meeting in October. This progress provides a good basis for updating member states before the December European Council”, he said.
He stated that the Commission wants to engage in an active dialogue with the Serbian government in order to focus on the key European priorities. “It is paramount that Serbia is in a position to record a continuous set of positive developments on the European reform agenda”, Füle said. Füle and Selakovic also decided to review the progress achieved in the main areas relating to the political criteria and to jointly discuss Serbia's strategic orientations and operational plans at a plenary meeting of the enhanced permanent dialogue (EPD) in Belgrade at the end of January 2013. (CG/transl.fl)