Grlić Radman: Serbia should demonstrate substantial and sustainable progress

On its path to European Union membership, Serbia should demonstrate substantial and sustainable progress in fundamental areas and the will to meet all the necessary criteria, Croatia's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman said in Luxembourg on Tuesday.

"We are looking at the rule of law, the issue of missing persons (from the 1990s war), war crimes prosecution, cooperation with the international criminal tribunal, recognition of the Srebrenica genocide, strengthening good neighbourly relations with EU member states as well as with countries outside the EU," Grlić Radman said.

Two intergovernmental accession conferences with Serbia and Montenegro took place on the margins of the General Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg, but without opening or closing any of the negotiating chapters. These conferences are a novelty under the new methodology for EU enlargement negotiations. Previously, intergovernmental conferences were held only to open or close negotiating chapters.

Montenegro has so far opened all chapters, but closed only three, while Serbia has opened 18 and closed two chapters. Negotiations with Serbia are at a standstill as not a single chapter has been opened or closed for two and a half years.

Grlić Radman said that Croatia supports visa liberalisation for Kosovo and wants talks on the candidate status of Bosnia and Herzegovina to start as soon as possible. Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to change its electoral law to ensure the equality of its three constituent peoples and citizens.

No agreement was reached on opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania. Bulgaria is blocking North Macedonia's membership bid over bilateral issues, and EU member states do not want to separate the two countries but want to open negotiations with them at the same time.

Text: Hina

News