Serbia to seek faster EU membership

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said in Budapest on Monday that Serbia’s central strategic priority in 2009 is to speed up it accession to the European Union, adding that Hungary is fully backing Serbia on this path. In a lecture at the Corvinus University in Budapest, Jeremic stated that 2009 can become crucial for Serbia’s European integration. Following are excerpts of Jeremic’s address:

“The central strategic priority of the Government of Serbia is to rapidly move the country toward membership in the European Union. We look forward to the continued strong support of Hungary in our quest. Not only would this bring us closer together, but it would almost certainly bring great material benefits to our nations- on both sides of the border.” “Yet there is still much road to travel.”

“To reach our destination, I believe that European leaders need to approach the region – the last unintegrated part of our continent – with the boldness and vision worthy of those at the helm of one of the grandest peace projects ever undertaken by mankind: the European Union.” “Let me put all this more clearly in the Serbian context. I believe that by re-doubling our efforts, and enhancing the good-will that exists in many quarters of Europe for my country, we can make 2009 Serbia’s year of European integration.” “To further this aim, I believe that the following three, mutually reinforcing components constitute the basis of a very realistic, concrete and deliverable package for 2009.” “We must begin to act now, because time will not stand still while we dither about – for, especially in times like this, the politicians must set the pace for the bureaucrats, and not the other way around.”

“The first part of the package to which I just referred involves working closely with one another to ensure visa liberalization becomes a reality for the citizens of Serbia. We are grateful that Budapest has been such a strong advocate of visa free travel for all the citizens of Serbia. With your help and that of other EU countries, we can eliminate the visa lines in front of European embassies in Belgrade by the end of the year.”

“I turn to the second part of the proposed package to advance Serbia’s European perspective in 2009. It centers on synergizing our efforts to overcome the recalcitrance of few on un-freezing the Interim Agreement between Serbia and the EU. Together with the vast majority of other EU member States, Hungary is in no doubt that Serbia is fully cooperating with the ICTY.” “The full consensus is still not before us, and that means that European accession process feels like it’s in neutral gear. Serbia has proposed the following constructive approach to overcome the impasse.

Let the European Union send a fact-finding mission to Belgrade with the task of getting a more complete picture of our full cooperation – one that would complement the one provided by the ICTY’s Prosecutor’s Office. In this way, the EU would be able to directly inform itself of the comprehensive efforts Serbia has undertaken to complete its obligations to the Hague Tribunal. Once this last obstacle is overcome, we will be able to focus all our efforts on fulfilling the remaining Copenhagen Criteria as fast as we can. This would contribute to the establishment of a feeling in Serbia of imminent belonging to the EU – the achievement of which I strongly believe is in the interest of all.”

“The third part of the proposed package to deliver tangible results in 2009 revolves around Serbia’s upcoming application for membership in the European Union. We have to make sure it is swiftly forwarded to the European Commission with an indication that it promptly provides the Council with an advice on its merits. With the strong support of dedicated partners like Hungary, Serbia could still achieve Official Candidate Status by the end of the year.” “Should this package for hands-on engagement with Serbia become a reality in 2009, our society would be released from the uncertainty of the transitional limbo, replacing it with clarity of purpose so important in times of international political and economic uncertainty that has affected us all.”

“By bringing us within sight of the Gates of Europe, the point of no return would be finally crossed. We would get down to business, and complete our preparations for walking through those beckoning gates with our heads held high, our institutions reformed, and our expectations fulfilled.” “And we would be able to echo with pride the words of one of the founders of Europe who said, in 1950, “I do not see myself as special – I am a European, just like all the others”.”

“Serbia has proven beyond any doubt how dedicated we are to the enhancement of regional cooperation. We have done so despite the regrettable choices some of our neighbors made to recognize the unilateral declaration of independence – or UDI – of Serbia’s southern province of Kosovo and Metohija.” “There is no reason to deny that the Kosovo issue has created new regional fissures. And notwithstanding the fact that these unfortunate choices struck at the heart of Serbia’s constitutional order, Belgrade has continued to act responsibly – as befits a regional leader.”

“Our carefully measured response to UDI recognition by some of the countries in the Western Balkans ensured that the political fallout which naturally resulted was largely contained, ensuring that overall relations in the Western Balkans did not suffer.” “As a result, an issue of such fundamental importance and complexity – passionately involving all at once identity, boundaries, communal rights, opposing historical narratives – was steered clear of resorting to the force of arms, for the first time in the history of the region.”

“Serbia’s strategic decision to respond to Pristina’s ethnically motivated attempt at secession peacefully and within the rules of the international system, constitutes a paradigm shift in favor of peace in the Western Balkans. It is having a transformative effect on the politics of all the countries in the region, and is helping to consolidate our position as an indispensable anchor of democratic stability and security in the Western Balkans.”

“The clear task still before us all is to work in concert and complete the construction of an edifice of regional peace on a solid, European foundation – a foundation constructed with the tools of premeditation, creativity, patience, consensus, and compromise.” “We must take to this task with all deliberate speed. We must not waiver, we must not delay, and we must not put obstacles in our path. Instead, we must re-double our efforts. We must look to the end and think of the best means to accomplish it as quickly as we can,” the Serbian Foreign Minister said.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Kinga Goencz said in Budapest on Monday that the chances were very good that Serbia joined the white Schengen list this very year.

There is every chance that the European Union will abolish visas for the Serbian citizens as early as in 2009, she pointed out at a news conference, following a meeting with her Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic. According to her, during the talks both sides, among other things, expressed readiness for the reestablishment of direct Budapest-Belgrade flights.

Both Goencz and Jeremic pointed out that they viewed each other’s country as an extremely important partner in all fields of political, economic and cultural life.

The Hungarian prime minister also expressed deep regrets over the incident in Veszprem, in which handball player, Serbian national team member, Zarko Sesum sustained grave fractures of the facial bones in an attack by an as yet unidentified group of persons early on Saturday morning. In the incident, which took place in a bar in Veszprem, Marian Cosma of Romania was stabbed to death and Ivan Pesic of Croatia sustained grave injuries. All three attacked handball players were engaged by the local MKB Veszprem KC.

February 10, 2009
Tanjug

Tags: Serbia

This news story was posted on Tuesday, February 10th, 2009 at 12:42 pm and is filed under Serbia. You can follow any responses to this news story through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.