Joksimović and Schieb: Rule of law and dialogue are key criteria of progress on EU path

September 30 2020 | Belgrade

Joksimović and Schieb: Rule of law and dialogue are key criteria of progress on EU path

Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović and German ambassador Thomas Schieb have emphasised today that the rule of law and dialogue are the key criteria for Serbia’s progress on its EU path.  

Joksimović and Schieb have spoken today about the process of Serbian accession to the EU in the context of the current German Presidency of the Council of the EU, the upcoming EC Progress Report, as well as further advancement of the bilateral relations. 

Joksimović has added that Serbia welcomed the beginning of German Presidency of the Council of the EU prepared and that it remains completely devoted to the European path that it has committed to. 

“In addition to the five chapters prepared for opening, Serbia has fulfilled a set of activities such as the revision of action plans for key chapters 23 and 24, adoption of the Media strategy in January and drafting of the Action plan for its implementation in May, as well as entry into force of the Law on Prevention of Corruption on 1 September”, said the Minister. 

As stated in the press release, during her meeting with Ambassador Schieb, the Minister has especially emphasised the importance of the EC Progress Report, announced for the beginning of October, expressing her belief that it would be realistically prepared so as to include everything that has been achieved in the scope of the reform process during the previous year. 

Joksimović has stated that we will “carefully observe and adopt additional recommendations, based on the indisputable facts, which will be the basis for the activities of the future Government in EU accession negotiations, especially in the key areas such as the rule of law, judicial reform, fight against corruption, because this is what our citizens also expect”. 

Ambassador Schieb has confirmed that during its Presidency of the Council of the EU, Germany will advocate for the European integration process in the region, adding that Germany remains a staunch advocate of the policy of cooperation and reconciliation in the Western Balkans and that it supports Serbia on its path towards the EU membership. 

In his words, Germany as the country presiding the Council of the EU, is monitoring the implementation of all reforms relevant for Serbia’s European path, and it will decide on the opening of new chapters, as it has been doing so far, depending on the assessments from the Progress Report on the progress of reforms in the area of the rule of law. 

Ambassador Schieb has expressed hope that forming of the new Government will accelerate the pace of reform implementation in the framework of the European integration process. 

Joksimović has emphasised that it is especially important for Serbia to define the roadmap for negotiations with its European partners based on new methodology and precise plans for its implementation. 

The Minister and ambassador have estimated that the revitalisation of the continuation of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is of utmost importance, both on political and technical level under the auspices of the EU and with the EU special representative for the dialogue Miroslav Lajčák as a mediator. 

Joksimović has emphasised that Belgrade anticipates the agreed arrangements from the Brussels Agreement to be implemented, especially the Community of Serbian Municipalities (CSM).

The meeting topics also referred to the two decades long development cooperation between Germany and Serbia, as well as the results of the projects financed from the German development aid to Serbia, in the amount of about two billion euros. 

“This is also the single largest bilateral assistance to Serbia, which has significantly improved the areas of energy and water supply, sustainable economic development and employment, the rule of law and civil sector”, said the Minister.

Source: Tanjug