Brussels, 21/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - On 21 January, Serbia opened its accession negotiations with the European Union during its first intergovernmental conference - a day described as “historic”. “This is a historic day, which can't remain without follow up. This the most important day for Serbia since the end of the Second World War. (…) Nobody expected us to reach this point. (…) Now the expectations are considerable and the tasks are likely to be hard”, said Serbia's Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, adding that “the conference is not a gift. I think that we have deserved it by our work and dedication”. “We are ready to meet the challenges. We don't expect any favours, but we don't expect spanners to be put in the works or the rules to be changed in the middle of the game”, Dacic said, responding to a question on the recognition of Kosovo.
In the view of Greece's Minister for Foreign Affairs Evangelos Venizelos, “the launch of the negotiations is a historic moment and a turning point in the EU's relations with Serbia”. He said that he had “every confidence in Belgrade managing to meet all the challenges and, in the end, joining the European family”. “This is a historic day for Serbia and a historic day for the EU. The country has made another important step on its path towards the EU”, said Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle, recalling that the country is in “a very demanding phase. Hard work is needed and commitment to the normalisation of relations with Kosovo. Implementation of the agreement must be continued, the reforms must be continued and work must be done on alignment with the acquis communautaire”. In Füle's view, “Serbia will be able to meet the accession challenges and will be a very rich example in the Balkans”.
Serbia looking to membership iby 2020. While no chapter has not been opened, and the first - possibly Chapter 32 on financial control, the screening for which has already taken place - could be under Greek presidency, Dacic and Serbia's Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic earlier announced that they would like their country to finish its accession negotiations by 2018 so as to join the EU in 2020 at the start of the budgetary cycle. The opening of the negotiations is “the beginning of a new departure and of a new path. There are many problems to resolve but we want to run the road quickly. We are aiming for 2018. We hope that in 2018 the European institutions will give their green light and will consider that we are ready at join the EU in 2020”, said Dacic. In his view, “Serbia will be the next member of the EU”.
While waiting, the Commission presented a negotiation framework on 20 January and screening of Chapter 35 begins on 22 January. Füle said that the screening of the negotiation chapters was going to continue in 2014 and be finished in spring 2015. “The priority in 2014 is the preparation of the opening of chapters 23 and 24” on the judicial apparatus, fundamental rights and justice, freedom and security, said Füle.
Serbia made its request for EU accession in 2009, obtaining candidate status in March 2012. (CG/transl.fl)