Joksimovic: Slowdown would not be good message for Serbia

BELGRADE – Serbia’s Minister without Portfolio responsible for the EU Jadranka Joksimovic has said that it would not be a good message for Serbia if the process of the country’s accession negotiations with the European Union was slowed down over the political situation in Pristina.

After all the efforts made and steps taken over the last two years, it would not be a good message for Serbia to be slowed down on its road to the EU, Joksimovic for the Saturday edition of Belgrade-based daily Novosti.

Joksimovic said that there were countries linking the opening of the first negotiating chapter in the Serbia-EU negotiating process with the progress of the Brussels-based dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

She stressed, however, that she believed there was a “faster timetable” and that a slowdown would not be a good message.

Serbia has drawn up its negotiating position for Chapter 32, which regards financial control and I expect that it could be open in October, at the Intergovernmental Conference, Joksimovic said.
“We are ready to continue the dialogue with Pristina, but the process has been stagnating because of the political events concerning the setting up of the government” in Pristina, said Joksimovic.

Photo Tanjug/S. Radovanovic, archive