Serbia to decide whether to apply the new EU accession methodology

Speaking about a new methodology for EU enlargement, President of the Center for Foreign Policy Dragan Djukanovic told RTS that Serbia and Montenegro are leading countries in that process in the Western Balkans.

Dragan Djukanovic believes that Serbia and Montenegro have been left with the opportunity to decide whether to apply the new methodology or to continue the already started process.

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"I think that it has both elements and therefore it is necessary to think strategically and in the short term and make a decision that will have far-reaching consequences," says Djukanovic.

He believes one of its biggest limitations is that it can always bring a country back to the beginning of the process.

When it comes to Serbia's European integration, Kosovo is the biggest problem, while the appointment of an EU special envoy, most likely Miroslav Lajcak, is extremely important, Djukanovic said.

He commented the day before that the new methodology would affect the political and security situation in the region, and warned that any long-term absence of a European perspective could destabilize the region. Only full integration of the region into the EU, he argues, can respond to both political and security challenges.

Photo: Medija centar Beograd

When it comes to Croatia's EU presidency, Djukanovic says the six-month period passes quickly, but it's important that Croatia has shown good will towards the Western Balkans of which it has been a member since 2013 and that it has made enlargement one of the priority topics of this process.

"We should expect a similar stance during the German presidency in the second half of the year, but I believe that the special Croatian presidency will be significant for this region because of the EU and WB summits in Zagreb, where the region's EU membership will gain a clearer perspective," he concluded.

(Telegraf.rs/RTS)