After a six hours fierce debate in the Council of Ministers, the presiding body Wammen Nicolai revealed to the press good news for Serbia: “It is no secret that talks on this issue were long and fierce, but the recommendation of the ministers confirmed that Serbia has met the criteria set on the summit in December. All member states have agreed with the recommendation to approve Serbia’s candidacy.”
He said the recommendation of the Council of Ministers to the Heads of State and the Governments of EU member states to approve Serbia’s candidacy means that Brussels is ready to open a new chapter in relations with Belgrade.
The talks at the meeting of the Council of Ministers have went on for too long because Romania insisted on resolving the issue of the Vlach minority in Serbia. While many of the ministers did not understand what exactly Romania wants, Bucharest has withdrawn under the pressure from other EU member states and agreed with the recommendation of the nomination award.
The conclusion of the Council of Ministers adopted on Tuesday evaluated that Serbia demonstrates a credible commitment and that it has made further progress in implementing the agreements reached in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. Is also confirmed the beginning of the implementation of the agreement on integrated management of borders, that Belgrade has reached the agreement on the regional representation of Kosovo and that Serbia actively cooperates in order to enable EULEX and KFOR to carry out their mandates. These were the conditions set by the European Council in December at the insistence of Germany, when this council delayed granting the candidate status.
The Annex of the European Commission has been added in addition to the conclusions of the ministerial meeting and it indicates that “respect for and protection of minorities is an important element of the criteria for accession to the EU”, which was as a result of Romania’s insistence on resolving the issue of Vlach. At the same time, the Annex is another confirmation that Serbia is to face new challenges in the process of European integration. The President Boris Tadic has warned the public about these challenges last Tuesday in Brussels after a ministerial meeting by stating that the status of candidate will not be a reason for celebration, “but for hard work until we become a full member of the EU”.
Boris Tadic refrained from spreading optimism following the recommendations of the Council of Ministers. “I will not make any speculations, neither optimistic, nor pessimistic – it’s my job to work and not to give up … This is a test for the policy of ‘Both Europe and Kosovo’, but I am assured that we have no other option, we have to take care of our citizens, to contribute to the policy of reconciliation and to move towards the EU”, said Serbian President who believes that Serbia would already have negotiated on EU membership if it had not been for the problems related to Kosovo and Metohija.
LESSONS FROM THE MEETING:The President of the Committee for European Integration of the Serbian Parliament Laszlo Varga sees Serbia’s candidacy as something great, but points out to some lessons to be learned from the meeting.
“At a time when the consensus of the leading states on the candidacy was achieved, it became clear that this will actually happen. This is one of the most important lessons and it should be the message for the next step which is setting the date for the start of negotiations, especially according to the conditions set by Germany”, Varga said for Novi Magazin.
As he points out, the second lesson is that bilateral issues should not be swept under the carpet: “I do not want to say that Romania or Serbia is right, but it is indisputable that we should have avoided raising this issue in such an important moment. There was both time and every other frame to solve it or to move towards a solution and to make some other steps.”
The third lesson relates to the Baltic countries and Poland which is not satisfied with an excessive familiarity between Serbia and Russia. “It’s not impossible to enter the EU with the diplomatic priorities of the four pillars of foreign policy, but it will encounter a strong resistance of certain groups among the EU countries that do not have good relations with Russia. It is indisputable, and it would be much easier and simpler if Serbia would become a Western-oriented country because that could contribute to the acceleration of the European path”, says Varga.
The head of Vojvodina EU Office Predrag Novikov believes that by obtaining candidacy and the beginning of accession negotiations Serbia has opened the door for a new wave of reforms and a stronger modernization of the country.
“I believe that the strategic efforts for the institutional return to European civilization and cultural space a rational and not emotional decision,” Novikov said for Novi Magazin. Reminding that throughout history a greater proximity of Serbia with Europe has always led to less conflicts, tensions, violence and poverty, Novikov believes that the news of the nomination “is a milestone that will direct us towards a new economic development, the thorough use of development funds, and towards the earthly present and future rather than the heavenly past.”
Sonja Licht: Rendezvous with history
“Candidate status provides us a more serious reputation in the world and sends the message that we are a country that has reached a certain level of stability and political seriousness. Thus, a country worth investing in and the country that should be put on the political, economic, and cultural associates’ map. Of course, this status also includes certain obligations,” said Licht.
In her words, if we allow ourselves to continue being late in implementing the necessary changes, if we are not serious enough in implementing the agreements, if we fail to even more seriously fight against corruption and other violations of the rule of law and if we are slow in implementing the law, the nomination will not bring the expected improvement.
“However, if all of us citizens of Serbia, and of all our political representatives, understand that Serbia is facing new opportunities for development and better future for us and our children. If all of us start working hard and with greater seriousness and responsibility to make our country more decent, tolerant and prosperous, I believe we will considerably utilize the potential that comes with the new status,” concluded Licht.