Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović has stated today that, for the first time since 2014 when official negotiations with Serbia started, the EU reflects an atmosphere she would describe as the need to balance the region artificially, and that, if Serbia opens two or three chapters, it might seem that it is leaving other countries far behind.
“Since 2014 and the official opening of negotiations, this is the first time we have felt an atmosphere of, in my opinion, a silent and disquieting process of artificial balancing of the region and the relation towards the region”, said Joksimović as a guest of RTV, expressing her expectations that two chapters will nonetheless be opened: Chapter 9 – Financial service and Chapter 4 – Free movement of capital.
Joksimović has added that she must say that her assessment is not a form of criticism but an observation made by the line minister and someone who follows the developments in the EU.
“We have talked about the opening of negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania – it is uncertain whether it will happen. It may all be postponed for the second half of the year, and in that scenario, Serbia might seem to be more advanced and going faster than others if it opens two or three chapters. So, there are these elements; what should also always be kept in mind is the context and different interests of different member states – who needs a stronger push”, said the Minister.
Joksimović has stated that she has been saying from the beginning that the first six months will not be a period of accelerated pace.
“We will open new chapters, we will see how many; we continue on our path, we are accelerating the reforms, and Serbia is not giving up that easily”, she said, adding that “[her] sources say that chapters will certainly be opened, but the number will depend on the member states”.
“I have not been an optimist, I have expected – and I still expect – that we maintain at least the same pace, which means two chapters; this is not optimism, although it may be interpreted as such given the announcements”, said Joksimović.
Joksimović has said that she certainly thinks a set – if we refer to two chapters – will be opened and that it will most likely be chapters related to removing Serbia from the FATF grey list.
According to her, chapters 4 and 9 are the ones some member states said they would support for opening if Serbia fulfils all recommendations in order to be removed from the FATF grey list.
Source: Tanjug
