Serbia rushes to launch accession talks

The EU moved closer to starting accession talks with Serbia yesterday (25 October) after overcoming long-standing opposition from the Dutch government. Belgrade said a "new era" in its history had begun. Meeting in Luxembourg, EU foreign ministers found a formula to unblock the launch of accession talks with Serbia. The diplomatic jargon adopted accommodates the Netherlands' demand that any further step in Serbia's EU accession must be conditional on Belgrade's cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

The move became possible after Belgrade agreed to engage in talks with Kosovo, its former province, whose declaration of independence in 2008 Serbia does not recognise. Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal said he was satisfied that the compromise text had put "pressure" on Serbia to fully cooperate with the ICTY. Steven Vanackere, Belgium's foreign minister, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, praised the "good balance" of the text. In fact, Belgium made a huge contribution to successfully reaching the compromise. It had to step aside from its own national position as its duty at the EU’s helm is to seek a common position. Jean de Ruyt, Belgium's EU ambassador, told EurActiv that his country's stance on the need for full cooperation with ICTY mirrored the Dutch view.

In Belgrade, the head of the EU delegation to Serbia, Vincent Degert, said it would be "realistic" for the country to start accession talks in a year's time. Apparently Serbia, the 'core country' of the former Yugoslavia, is in a race to secure speedy accession talks for various reasons. One of them, according diplomatic sources, is that Belgrade wants to wrap up its membership talks before Croatia's EU accession, which could realistically happen in 2013.

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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.

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Candidate status to Serbia in October

Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor has stated that he expects Serbia to receive a „green light“ for the candidate status in the European Union in October if no major unexpected changes take place.
Pahor said that the Serbian authorities are absolutely capable of finding, together with the Pristina authorities, a solution that would be good for both sides in the coming months.

“Slovenia's stand is that if Serbia accepts a peaceful way of resolving the outstanding issues between Belgrade and Pristina and if it meets all other conditions, such as the cooperation with the Hague, it should be granted the candidate status and its European future should be open,” Pahor said in an interview published by Vecernje Novosti.
The policy of reforms of President Boris Tadic should be supported, which will stabilize the region as a whole, because Serbia is of special importance in that respect, underscored Pahor.

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Don’t miss your chance, Füle tells Belgrade

During a visit to Belgrade on 17 September, Enlargement Commissioner Štefan Füle delivered the message that Serbia has an historic opportunity to launch accession talks with the EU soon, provided that it keeps up a constructive momentum in its relations with Pristina. EurActiv Serbia, launched yesterday (19 September), reports.


After meeting with Serbian officials, Füle said he hoped a consensus would be reached soon within the EU regarding Belgrade's application for EU membership, adding that the Belgian EU Presidency, as well as other countries and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton, were "working hard" in that direction.
"The European Commission is of the opinion that the time has come for the EU to take Serbia's application for joining the EU seriously," Füle said after a meeting with Serbian President Boris Tadić.


 
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Tadic sees very favorable climate in EU for application

On Sept. 14 President Boris Tadic said that there is "an exceptionally favorable climate" in the EU for sending Serbia's candidacy application to the European Commission.

"In Tallinn, I said that our goal was to obtain the status of a candidate as soon as possible followed by a date for negotiations," Tadic told reporters in Belgrade at a reception prior to the departure of 50 Serbian students to Austria.
Tadic also said that there "is a certain technical time" for achieving these goals, and that Serbia needs to meet its commitments and carry out numerous reforms.

News source: EMG.rs link: article