Brussels, 24/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 23 April, the deputy leader of the S&D Group who is responsible for enlargement, Libor Roucek (Czech Republic), called on the European Council to take account of the European Commission's recommendations to open accession negotiations with Serbia and negotiations for a stabilisation and association agreement with Kosovo. Any other decision would damage the credibility of the EU's enlargement policy, Roucek said in a press release. He added that the two countries deserve to move forward in the process of European integration.
Roucek called on Belgrade and Pristina to implement the concluded agreement rapidly and in good faith. The Parliament's rapporteur on Serbia, Jelko Kacin (ALDE, Slovenia) called for a full implementation.
The EU must continue to be involved in the region. Kacin wanted an ad hoc mission organised in Belgrade and Pristina to show the EU's firm support for the efforts of the two governments. He said that supporting the integration process strengthens the forces in favour of reforms in the candidate countries and brings stability. The EU must continue to be actively involved in the region, he says. In Kacin's view, the EU's influence is effective and must be put to good use. He says that the leaders need to build truly friendly relations as partners, not only establish a “normal” relation. (CG/transl.fl)