Eurasia Press & News
EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele told the Dutch parliament that Serbian application for EU candidate status should be sent to the European Commission. He pointed out that Serbia’s cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) can still remain a precondition of EU integration.
We have an opportunity to support Serbia, which wants to change, and accepting these changes is just as important as continuing to pose conditions, Fuele noted addressing the Dutch parliament.
He reiterated that full cooperation with the Tribunal would remain a precondition for positive opinion on Serbian application and that Serbia would have to meet all criteria before the accession talks could be considered.
“Our goals are clear, the Commission is committed to requesting full Serbian cooperation with The Hague Tribunal in order to achieve its EU integration, but now we need to combine the conditioning and the sense of politics,” said the commissioner before the Dutch Parliament.
Fuele believes that Serbian cooperation with The Hague is sincere and that Serbia is doing its best to fulfill its obligations.
In his opinion, submitting Serbian candidacy would be an incentive for this country to address difficult issues as well as a message to the nation that EU membership is realistic.
