Slovakia ratifies SAA with Serbia

Slovakia became the fifth EU member state to ratify the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia, after parliament adopted it by a wide margin Wednesday (September 8th). The bill moves next to the president for approval. Foreign Minister Mikulas Dzurinda has pledged to help speed up the EU integration process. Serbia signed a pre-membership agreement with the EU two years ago, but its ratification was delayed until June, when a positive report on Serbia’s co-operation with The Hague war crimes tribunal was released. The other four EU countries that have ratified the SAA are Italy, Spain, Malta and Bulgaria. Austria, Denmark, Finland and Poland are expected to ratify it in the autumn.