Vucic: Chapters will be opened before end of year

“I hope and expect that it will happen in September, but I have still not lost hope that we can get the first chapters even earlier. These could be Chapters 23 and 24, concerning the rule of law, 32, which concerns financial control, and Serbia-specific 35 (on Kosovo)," Vucic said for Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) after a ‘Friends of Serbia’ meeting in Brussels.

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Vucic said that Serbia was much respected in the European Union, and clearly, all EU member-states supported Serbia’s economic reform and public finances stabilization, and the country had to continue talks on certain issues in the dialogue with Pristina.

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“We have heard our Austrian, Italian and all other friends voicing their sincere support for Serbia, which made us feel as though we were part of the EU in a way,” he said.

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Foto: Tanjug/AP

“Serbia is expected to continue being an anchor or pillar of security in the region and we will continue to pursue such a policy, regardless of the political price, because it is how we are buying the future four our children and for our country,” said the prime minister.

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Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said in Brussels on Monday that chapters with Serbia should be open as soon as possible, as everyone wants to see the country in the European Union.

Foto: Tanjug/Ministarstvo spoljnih poslova

Addressing journalists after the Friends of Serbia conference, Kurz congratulated the country on the positive and significant reforms, but added it is not good that it has not opened any of the chapters a year and a half after the start of accession negotiations.

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He noted that Monday's meeting was very constructive and that it demonstrated unanimous support of all representatives of EU countries, the Serbian government's media relations office released.

Foto: Tanjug/Vlada Srbije

Another co-host, Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, said that everyone acknowledges Serbia's constructive role in the efforts to preserve stability in the Western Balkans, as well as its non-dogmatic and pragmatic approach to solving problems.

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He pointed out there is a general consensus for quick opening of the chapters. Today's meeting and first reactions are good news for Serbia, but also for Italy and Austria, as the organizers of this conference, Gentiloni noted.

Foto: Tanjug/Dragan Stanković

Slovakia's Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak voiced the opinion on Monday that negotiation chapters with Serbia should be opened as soon as possible, as otherwise the credibility of the process would be brought into question.

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It is up to the Commission to recommend, and up to the Council to decide when chapters would be opened. I would like that this it be as soon as possible, before the end of the year, as it has been prolonged for over a year, which is not credible, Lajcak said.

Speaking about Monday's meeting “Friends of Serbia”, Lajcak said that it was very useful as it was an opportunity for an exchange of opinions about the steps forward that Serbia had made, which “were very positive”.

(Telegraf.co.uk/ Tanjug)