Future enlargement of the European Union

BELGRADE - The EU is lacking a strategic vision on Kosovo as its member states are divided into those that recognise Kosovo's independence and those that do not, Peter Horne Zartsdahl, a research at the Roskilde University, said at the Belgrade Security Forum on Wednesday.

The internal problems of several EU member states are impeding progress on Serbia's accession to the European Union, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said Wednesday.

Hungary wants the European Union to speed up integration of the Western Balkans and for NATO to include those countries, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Wednesday, quoted by Reuters. 

"Speeding up the accession process is a guarantee of security," Szijjarto said at a news conference also attended by a dozen officials from Central European and Western Balkan countries.

BELGRADE - Hungary will insist on Serbia opening five chapters in its EU accession talks this year as it would be a positive signal to Serbia on its European path, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said at a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade on Friday.

Kosovo's leader Hashim Thaci on Friday accused the European Commission (EC) of turning its back on Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Kosovo over not offering them an accession strategy.

The president and the government of Serbia will address the European Commission (EC) in a letter, looking for answers to a range of questions. Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic announced this late on Monday.

After the Catalan referendum and European Commission's position that it was illegal, "it must be clear how difficult it is to safeguard Serbia's independence."

BRUSSELS - EU foreign policy and security chief Federica Mogherini met with Kosovo FM Bedzet Pacoli on Friday during his first-ever visit to Brussels to discuss the EU integration agenda of Kosovo, visa liberalisation and the EU-facilitated dialogue with Belgrade.

Turkey will not lose anything if it fails to become a member of the European Union, Turkish President Recep Erdogan said, quoted by the Anadolu agency.

BRUSSELS - The EU on Wednesday granted 27.4 mln euros to Serbia to support the reform of the country's education system.

"Serbian children deserve the same opportunities like children in the EU," EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn said after the signing of a grant agreement in Brussels.

BRUSSELS - Serbian Minister for European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic met in Brussels on Tuesday with ambassadors of EU member states and European Commission and European External Action Service officials.