Serbia to open 2 new EU chapters - third blocked by Germans

Serbia will on December 11 in Brussels open two new chapters in its EU membership negotiations.

The final decision to open chapters 6 (company law) and 30 (external relations) was made on Wednesday by EU member-states' ambassadors, Tanjug said.

Although chapter 33 on financial and budgetary provisions has been the subject of consideration among member-states until the last moment, Tanjug learned that five countries did not greenlight its opening.

According to diplomatic sources in Brussels, cited by the agency, "among the members who did not approve the opening of this chapter are this time also Germany and France."

Diplomatic sources added that these countries are not satisfied with the progress Serbia has made in the area of ​​the rule of law, and in completing the chapter 23 action plan relating to the judiciary and fundamental rights.

The progress report in chapters 23 and 24 was submitted by the European Commission last month. Based on this, but also on the report of the European External Action Service on progress in the process of normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina, EU member states have made a political decision that Serbia will open two, instead of three new chapters by the end of 2017.

It is being reiterated in Brussels that progress in chapters 23 and 24 concerning the rule of law and chapter 35 that monitors normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina is a condition for further progress of Serbia in the overall accession negotiations.

Serbia has so far opened ten out of 35 chapters, with two temporarily closed.

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