Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović and newly-appointed Ambassador of Spain Raúl Bartolomé Molina have discussed Serbia's plans in further European integration and cooperation between the two countries in the process, the results of the reforms that are being implemented during the accession process, the situation in the region and the European Union, bilateral relations and other topics.
Jadranka Joksimović has introduced Molina to Serbia’s activities in the EU accession process. She has reiterated that EU membership is the strategic foreign policy interest of Serbia, and has confirmed Serbia’s commitment to European integration. She has thanked Spain for the overall assistance and support it has been providing on Serbia’s path to full EU membership.
The Minister has said that Serbia is committed to implementing the reforms, which was also confirmed - as she has assessed, by the generally positive European Commission's Progress Report, where lesser or greater progress has been noted in most areas, and no backsliding has been recorded. Therefore, she has expressed her expectation that Serbia will open some of the chapters for which it is technically prepared by the end of the month – when the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union ends.
Jadranka Joksimović has particularly thanked the Ambassador of Spain for the consistent and principled position of that country – based on respect for international law, regarding the non-recognition of the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo. She has stated that Belgrade is ready to continue with the dialogue as soon as Pristina withdraws the illegitimate taxes on goods from Central Serbia. She has pointed out that Serbia is committed to finding a sustainable solution, but also that Pristina - unlike Belgrade, has not fulfilled any of its obligations defined under the Brussels Agreement.
Ambassador Molina has stressed that Serbia is an important factor in the regional stability and an important and reliable partner to the EU. He has confirmed that Spain will continue to support the European path of Serbia, which, according to him, has a clear European future. He has noted that economic reforms and reforms in the field of the rule of law are yielding results and that their implementation should be continued dynamically.
Joksimović and Molina have noted that the relations between the two countries are at an extremely high level, and that there is mutual interest for their strengthening. They have agreed that there is room for strengthening the economic cooperation, which should follow more intensively the excellent political relations between the two countries.
Source: Tanjug
