President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić today held talks at the Palace of Serbia with the President of the European Council, António Costa, who is on an official visit to the country.
At 9 a.m., Vučić and the senior European official began a tête-à-tête meeting, followed by plenary talks between the delegations of Serbia and the European Union, led by Vučić and Costa.
Following the meeting, President Vučić said they had held an "excellent and substantive discussion about the future of relations between Serbia and the European Union, the continuation of Serbia’s European path, and the key challenges facing Serbia, the Western Balkans region and Europe as a whole".
"I am grateful to President Costa for his personal engagement and willingness to listen to Serbia’s views, as well as for his support for the European perspective of our region. I am convinced that only through sincere dialogue, mutual respect and joint efforts can we build a more stable, secure and prosperous future for all citizens," the President said.
Statements by Vučić and Costa following the meeting
At the beginning of his address, President Vučić said he was very grateful to the President of the European Council for the visit and noted that they had discussed a range of issues that had not yet received sufficiently satisfactory answers.
"From the judiciary to the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM), including, of course, the ODIHR recommendations concerning elections. We have adopted four laws and will adopt additional ones, including legislation relating to campaign financing and another anti-corruption law, which is not so much about corruption itself as preventing public officials from participating in election campaigns. These are European values, and we will complete this within the next two weeks. It is particularly important that, together with Europe, we succeed in combating organised crime and corruption," the President said.
Vučić underlined that Serbia would fully implement the recommendations of the Venice Commission concerning the package of judicial laws and would resolve the issue of the REM Council.
He added that he appreciated Costa’s "openness to always engage in dialogue" and expressed hope that the European Council President understood Serbia’s "frustration regarding certain issues", particularly the lack of progress on its European path.
The European official stated that several topics had been discussed during the meeting and emphasised that Serbia must focus on three key priorities.
"We must focus on three priorities: fostering good neighbourly relations, aligning with EU policies, and implementing the ongoing reforms," Costa said.
• Fostering Good Neighbourly Relations and Regional Cooperation
Good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation are essential for both security and economic prosperity. In this regard, the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and the full implementation of the Ohrid Agreement are of crucial importance.
• Alignment with EU Policies and Values
Alignment with the policies and values of the European Union, particularly the Common Foreign and Security Policy, is essential.
"These are not merely principles that the EU advocates. They form the very foundation of the European project and of our partnership with Serbia," Costa said.
• Implementing Ongoing Reforms
The implementation of current reforms is necessary for progress in the accession process.
"We encourage you to continue accelerating reforms in the three important areas you mentioned. The rule of law - including the full implementation of the Venice Commission’s recommendations concerning legislation governing the judiciary and public prosecution. Media freedom - by ensuring an enabling environment for the media and establishing a new REM Council in a transparent and inclusive manner. Electoral reform - in line with ODIHR recommendations before the next elections in Serbia. I welcome the four electoral laws adopted last week as a very important step forward. It is now important to complete the process by addressing the remaining recommendations, including those concerning the prevention of the misuse of state resources and pressure on voters," Costa said.
"High expectations for the summit in Tivat"
Ahead of the forthcoming regional gathering, President Vučić stated that there were high expectations for tomorrow’s EU–Western Balkans Summit in Tivat and expressed hope that certain announcements might be made, including a possible change in methodology.
He stressed that Serbia must do its part and continue working diligently, which is why an operational team headed by Danijel Apostolović had been established and was working daily on fulfilling the country’s obligations.
"I believe they will accomplish all of this, and we will meet those recommendations concerning the rule of law and all conditions necessary for opening Cluster 2, not just Cluster 3. However, a great deal of work remains to be done. I believe our people will do it and demonstrate renewed enthusiasm for our European path," Vučić said.
The statements followed the plenary talks between the delegations of Serbia and the European Union.
The meeting was also attended by Serbian Prime Minister Professor Dr Đuro Macut, Foreign Minister Marko Đurić, Minister for European Integration Nemanja Starović, Serbia’s Head of Mission to the European Union and Chief EU Accession Negotiator Ambassador Danijel Apostolović, and Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petković.
Why does Brussels still keep the "door closed" to enlargement?
Responding to a journalist’s question about why Brussels continually imposes new conditions and pressures Serbia on its European path instead of rewarding its economic success and constructive role, Costa said that the European Union does not blackmail anyone and does not place obstacles before candidate countries.
"We have a common goal and a common interest - both the candidate countries and the European Union - to complete this process as soon as possible. That is why we must work closely together in a very honest manner, solve problems and achieve results. The accession process is merit-based, and all countries must meet various criteria. What we are doing in Serbia, as well as in Ukraine, Moldova and the other five Western Balkan candidates, is progressing step by step in order to achieve results," Costa said.
He noted that the accession process is highly demanding and challenging, both for the European Union and especially for candidate countries.
According to Costa, enlargement is a realistic possibility in the coming years, but achieving it will require faster and more intensive work.
Official visit began a day earlier
Vučić welcomed Costa at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport yesterday and extended a warm welcome to him.
"This visit is an important encouragement for the further strengthening of relations between Serbia and the European Union and confirms the importance of the dialogue we maintain with our European partners at a time of numerous challenges facing us all," Vučić wrote on Instagram.
The Serbian President stressed that Belgrade remains committed to accelerating its reform agenda and taking a responsible approach to the European integration process, while EU membership continues to be a strategic objective.
"I believe that now is the time to further strengthen the European perspective of the Western Balkans through concrete steps and stronger political support," Vučić said.
Prelude to a major regional gathering in Tivat
António Costa is visiting the Western Balkans from 1 to 5 June as part of a regional tour during which he is meeting leaders from across the region and co-chairing the EU–Western Balkans Summit in Tivat.
(EUpravo zato)