Double-edged decision looming on Serbia

EU foreign ministers, meeting in Luxembourg on Monday (25 October), are expected to finally unblock Serbia's association process, which has been stalled for years over the Netherlands' insistence on seeing war criminal Ratko Mladić brought to justice. Jean de Ruyt, EU ambassador for Belgium, the country currently holding the rotating EU presidency, told the press today (22 October) that an agreement was in sight at the next ministers' meeting in Luxembourg.
He added, however, that in return for the deal, the EU would apply "very, very close monitoring" on Serbia's cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
Nevertheless, De Ruyt said that some member countries were still opposed to introducing a strict conditionality clause referring to the ICTY.

This is the first time the term "monitoring" has been used in connection with a Western Balkan country's accession process. De Ruyt admitted himself that such a strict monitoring system had not been applied to Croatia, a country well advanced in its EU accession negotiations. He added, however, that similar conditions would apply for Zagreb in the crucial negotiation chapter of justice and fundamental rights. "The cooperation of Serbia with ICTY is not perfect, but we should decide at the end of the accession process," the Belgian diplomat said.

According to De Ruyt's reasoning, each step of Serbia's EU accession process would be conditional on cooperation with the ICTY. All decisions on enlargement-related issues are taken by unanimity, and in a country's accession process, there are over one hundred veto opportunities.
De Ruyt explained that the situation in the Netherlands was "complicated," with a new minority government, new ministers responsible for EU enlargement and a Parliament which gave "little window of opportunity" for the cabinet to unblock Serbia's EU bid.
In particular, the Parliament had instructed the government to postpone any decision regarding Serbia ahead of the next report on the country by ICTY chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz.

News source: EurActiv link: article