Bohnet: New gov't to prove able for successful EU talks

BELGRADE - Germany will continue to support Serbia on its path towards the European Union if it meets the requirements of the negotiation framework, said director of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation for Serbia Henri Bohnet.

I expect the new government to show results and prove that it is able to meet all the requirements set out in the 35 chapters of the EU accession process, Bohnet told Tanjug on Saturday, underlining the need for Belgrade and Pristina to continue their dialogue.

It is logical for all ministries in Serbia to be included in the EU negotiations, as the European integration is a complex process that influences all spheres of life, he emphasized.

Asked whether Germany will support Serbia's EU membership, Bohnet said that it will, providing that the country meets all the requirements set out in the 35 negotiation chapters. Germany is a predictable and reliable partner, with transparent demands from Serbia in the context of EU integration, said Bohnet, adding that the new government of Germany takes the same stand as the previous one regarding Serbia's progress towards the EU.

He noted that the EU negotiations have slowed down slightly due to the elections in Serbia as well as due to the upcoming elections in the European Parliament and in Kosovo.

The entire process will last longer than expected, but it cannot be prolonged indefinitely, and the decision-makers in Serbia and Pristina should keep that in mind. They now have the legitimacy to continue the negotiations, and need to focus on the resolution of the remaining issues, Bohnet said.

Commenting on announcements by Serbian authorities that the country can join the EU by 2018, Bohnet said that it is an ambitious plan.

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