J. Joksimović: For now, Brussels will not be drafting a new report on Chapter 31

December 24 2018 | Belgrade

J. Joksimović: For now, Brussels will not be drafting a new report on Chapter 31

Brussels has not made a decision to draft a new Screening Report for Chapter 31 on common foreign, security and defence policy of the EU, given that the decision has not been approved by all 28 EU member states, said Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović.

Responding to Tanjug’s question on whether Lithuania proposed the drafting of a new Screening Report, Joksimović has said that it is no pompous news that draft Screening Report for Chapter 31 should be updated for one simple reason - the data contained therein refer to the period until the end of 2014.

“Adoption of a completely new report would require a complex procedure and a new legal basis, given that the screening of all chapters in the negotiation process ended in March 2015, whereas I personally attended the explanatory screening organised in July 2014”, said Joksimović.

Stating that it is a matter of form, Joksimović has said that the point is that Serbia takes account of its own security in its approach towards security matters, contributing to the security of the region and the EU through its behaviour and activities.

She has added that Serbia, as one of the largest countries in Southeast Europe, has significantly contributed to the fight against terrorism, management of the migrant crisis challenges and to the European security outside the European continent through joint participation in EU missions and operations.

“It is also absolutely clear from the EU Negotiating Framework with Serbia that full alignment of our foreign and security policy with the EU common foreign and security policy is necessary to achieve by the time of full membership”, concluded Joksimović.

Several EU member states do not allow Serbia to receive the Screening Report for Chapter 31 on common foreign, security and defence policy of the EU. Serbia has been waiting for the Report for more than four years, and there is information that Lithuania has proposed the drafting of a new one, mostly due to Serbia’s relations with Russia.

Source: Tanjug