Brussels, 17/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 16 October, Serbia's Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said he was “satisfied” with “the mark given to Serbia” by the European Commission in its progress report (see EUROPE 10944), and he believed it was “one of the most favourable up until now”. He described the report's assessment as “fundamentally important” - an assessment according to which relations between Serbia and the EU have entered a new phase. Dacic also welcomed the fact that the report notes that progress has been made in the quality of the reforms as regards stability and cooperation in the region, and the dialogue with Pristina. Dacic said that Serbia was going to continue its reforms “including the dialogue with Pristina”. “Serbia's objective is to use the negotiations with the EU with a view to encouraging reforms”, he said.
Serbia's minister for European integration, Branko Ruzic, described the report as “very positive overall”. “On the political level, perhaps for the first time, it gave a positive appreciation of the progress”, he said. “The main message is that the government has remained united in its commitment for integration and the dialogue with Pristina”, he added (our translation throughout). In Ruzic's view, the only result which is not positive concerns LGBT rights and the lack of policy involvement in this area.
Dacic also announced that High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton will chair the stabilisation and association Council in Luxembourg on 21 October. He said that he would attend this. (CG/transl.fl)