Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic said yesterday that Serbia is ready to continue with reforms necessary for EU membership and to complete cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) so that ratification of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) could start in June.

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Stefan Fule, left, and Mirko Cvetkovic

After the meeting with European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule, Cvetkovic said that after completing the reforms, Serbia should answer the European Commission’s Questionnaire, which would enable it to obtain EU candidacy status by the end of this year, or by the middle of 2011 at the latest. 

He recalled that 2009 was the most successful year for Serbia in terms of European integration because it achieved visa liberalisation, the Interim Trade Agreement was unfrozen and application for EU candidacy submitted. 

Cvetkovic and Fule talked about ways in which representatives of Albanians from Kosovo-Metohija can participate at various meetings and at the same time keep the neutrality concerning the status. That technical solution will be sought for, he said. 

Cvetkovic explained that the question of Serbian asylum seekers, mostly concentrated in Belgium and Sweden, was also discussed at the meeting. 

It was conveyed to the EU Enlargement Commissioner that Serbia is dealing with this issue successfully, said the Prime Minister. 

Stefan Fule said that Serbia should continue with its successful EU integration in 2010 and enter a new phase of the process, during which the European Commission is expected to form its opinion regarding Serbia’s EU membership. 

The new phase of the integration process implies receiving green light from EU member countries, after which the European Commission will be able to form its opinion and present its Questionnaire to Serbia, he said. 

Continuing with reforms, cooperation with the Hague tribunal and regional cooperation, which includes resolving all questions related to the Kosovo-Metohija issue is vital for Serbia’s EU integration, said Fule. 

There are many tasks to be completed and many challenges to be met on the path to the EU, but if Serbia is truly resolved to join the EU, it will have support from the European Commission and the EU, said Fule.
Government of the Republic of Serbia