Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović has stated that current Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, who is coming to Belgrade today, supports enlargement and understands the region, adding that she believes that his visit will be useful.
Joksimović has told Tanjug that Hahn’s visit is important for several reasons.
She has explained that Hahn is Austria’s official candidate for commissioner in the new EC composition, and that there are speculations that he may keep the same portfolio, although it is not a common practice. However, it is still unknown which portfolio he will get.
The Minister has stressed that, during his five-year term, Hahn has demonstrated a well-measured approach towards everyone in the region, having become well-acquainted with the situation in candidate and potential candidate countries. She has further added that Serbia has had a good and constructive cooperation with him.
“We have had support for the opening of chapters whenever we showed results, great cooperation regarding IPA funds that I as a line minister have achieved with him and his team, which resulted in the fact that, in the period from 2014 to 2020, we have programmed around EUR 1.5 billion for numerous projects across Serbia, which amounts to around EUR 200 million a year”, stated Joksimović.
Asked whether it would be good for Serbia if Hahn remained commissioner for enlargement, Joksimović has reiterated that he will remain commissioner, but that the sector is unknown, adding that it is important that people who are well-meaning and fair regarding enlargement and stabilisation of relations in the region remain part of the new EC composition.
Answering what in her opinion will be the topics addressed during Hahn’s visit to Serbia, the Minister has stated that his upcoming meetings with the President and the Prime Minister will certainly include the topics related to the future enlargement policy in light of the new relations and powers within European institutions, and particularly topics concerning the situation in the region and the future of the Belgrade–Pristina dialogue.
She has recalled that Hahn has, since the beginning, held the position of mandatory withdrawal of taxes, by which Pristina has breached regional economic agreements and the SAA with the EU, further undermining the conditions for the continuation of the dialogue.
“Therefore, it is important for the President and the Prime Minister to openly present the real situation and position of Serbia, as Hahn has so far shown that he is ready to hear arguments and positions of all parties, and I believe that this will be a useful visit”, emphasised Joksimović.
As regards EU integration, Joksimović has said that Hahn will be informed about Serbia’s expectations regarding the continuation of the accession process and numerous reform activities in the area of the rule of law that are intensively being implemented, both at the legislative and the executive level.
According to her, those activities should also be noted in the unofficial report on the progress in the rule of law to be published in autumn, based on which the Member States will give their consent to the opening of new chapters during the Finnish EU Council presidency that will last until the end of December this year.
Source: Tanjug
