EC President Barroso says 2011 is crucial for Serbia

EC President Jose Manuel Barroso has warned Serbia that is needs to move fast with political, legal, and economic changes in order to catch the EU train.

Barroso was in Belgrade Thursday where he stressed explicitly that Serbia needs to cooperate with the Hague Tribunal for the arrest and handing over of Gen. Ratko Mladic and former Croatian Serb leader Goran Hadzic to the war crimes tribunal in order to be recognized as an EU candidate country.

“Indeed, 2011 is the year of crucial opportunity for Serbia and Europe. You are on the right track, but time is running out,” Barroso said. He stressed that the EU needed to see results on Serbia’s part before the summer.