Serbia

Serbia’s future is in the EU and it is only for the EU to be able to solve the Kosovo issue, said Serbian President Boris Tadic. In Tadic’s words, the government’s policy towards Kosovo is not rigid but rather winning and his party will run at the elections following this …

Bozidar Djelic, Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, resigned from the post after Brussels delayed the decision over the country’s EU bid. Djelic told reporters in Brussels that Friday’s decision of the European Council to examine Serbia’s candidacy bid in March “was not what Serbia had expected.”

A decision by the European Union on whether to grant Serbia candidate status will be taken by EU foreign ministers in February, EU president Herman Van Rompuy said Friday. 

Bulgaria has stressed its adherence to the principled position of NATO on preserving Kosovo’s territorial integrity, according to the speech of the Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov at the annual meeting of the Alliance member states’ top diplomats. “The general principled agreement for the territorial integrity of Kosovo was among …

EU leaders are to postpone a decision to grant Serbia candidate status for the next summit in March, according to the draft conclusions of the European Council leaked overnight. According to the draft conclusions for the summit on Friday, Serbia may obtain EU candidacy in March when EU

Parliament had supported an opposition motion demanding a renewed ban on products from Serbia. Kosovo’s parliament on Wednesday adopted a motion calling on the government to introduce a trade ban with Serbia.

Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz commended Serbia at a UN Security Council session Wednesday for extraditing Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić. However, he demanded a serious investigation into the network of their helpers prior to the arrests.

Berlin appears to be softened its position on Serbia’s EU candidacy. However, Germany still expects progress in the talks between Belgrade and Pristina. It is possible for Berlin to back giving Serbia’s a status of EU member state candidate. One of the conditions for this to happen is lifting the …

Dialogue between the European Commission and Kosovo on visa liberalisation may start by the beginning of 2012. The European Commission in October pledged to instigate the process by the end of 2011, but this may now be moved to January 2012. In its Progress Report for Kosovo, published in October, …

Foreign ministers of the EU member states will hold a debate on EU enlargement on Monday in Brussels. During it, they will formulate a decision on Serbia’s candidacy, and a date for start of the accession talks with Montenegro. The final decision regarding the matter should be reached by EU …