According to the first reactions, adoption of Serbia’s Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) is a positive stimulus for further EU integration.
Serbian PM Mirko Cvetković has stated he expects that the SAA ratification would encourage other EU member states that still have not ratified the SAA to do so.
Members of the European Parliament today in Strasbourg voted in favor of approving the ratification of the SAA signed between Serbia and the EU.
The voting was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but was postponed for technical reasons.
Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić expressed his satisfaction on Tuesday with the debate on Serbia in the European Parliament (EP). He told B92 that he expected that the ratification in the EP of the EU Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia would speed up the ratification of the agreement with Serbia in the EU member countries which had still not gave their stamp of approval on the document.
The Foreign Policy Committee of the European Parliament adopted on Wednesday a draft resolution on Serbia. It urges ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) by European Union countries which have not yet done so.
The Council of the European Union decided today to submit the SAA with Serbia to the member-states’ parliaments for ratification. A statement issued following the meeting in Luxembourg on Monday said that after the latest report of Chief Hague Prosecutor Serge Brammertz, the Council “notes that Serbia has maintained its cooperation with the Tribunal with a view to delivering further positive resultsâ€.
The Spanish parliament in May completed “90 percent of work†on the ratification of Serbia’s Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with this EU. This came as a gesture of strong support for Serbia in the EU integration process, Belgrade-based daily Danas writes today.
The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) stated that it supports the announcements that the SAA between Serbia and the EU will be unfrozen. SNS official Nikola Selaković said that this act could lead to positive changes for Serbian citizens.
The EU will most likely approve the start of the ratification process for the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA). Once Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz gives his report on Serbia’s cooperation with the Tribunal, the EU Council of Ministers is expected to approve the ratification process of the SAA with Serbia, officials of the Spanish presidency told journalists in Brussels.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi said that the EU Council of Ministers will most likely approve the start of the SAA ratification process with Serbia. He told daily Danas that there are countries in the EU that are a bit hesitant, however.
A Dutch government officials said that his country would allow the SAA to be ratified if the new Hague cooperation report is positive. Director of the Dutch Foreign Ministry Department for South East and East Europe Caspar Veldkamp said in Belgrade on Monday that Holland could give its consent for the EU Council of Ministers to start the ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia
Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Äelić said that the report of Serge Brammertz will be the basis for a decision on the ratification of the SAA. He reminded that a complete consensus by all EU member-states would be needed for every one of Serbia’s coming steps that needs to be taken on its path towards European integration.
Daily Politika writes that Holland will support the ratification of the SAA with Belgrade if Serge Brammertz’s cooperation report is positive. Politika has learned from inside the cabinet of Holland’s foreign minister that the parliamentary elections in the country on June 9 will not be an obstacle in supporting the ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) between Serbia and the EU.
Deputy PM Božidar Äelić says he expects the EU Council of Ministers to decide in mid-June to start the process of SAA ratification. Serbia and the EU signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) two years ago, but it was immediately suspended.
Daily Blic writes that Serbia couldhave its Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU ratified in June without arresting Ratko Mladić by then. The Belgrade newspaper writes, citing sources in Brussels, that the EU could approve the ratification if Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz gives a positive report on Serbia’s cooperation with the Tribunal in June, which “leaves no room for suspicion that Serbia is not doing something that could lead to the arrest of Hague fugitivesâ€.
Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Äelić has requested support from the European officials for the continuation of Serbia’s EU integration. He also expressed hope that the ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) could begin already in June.
European President Herman Van Rompuy said after talks with Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković that he was hoping that the SAA would be ratified by June. Van Rompuy expressed satisfaction in the fact that the interim trade part of Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) has taken effect, adding that he fully supports the integration of Serbia and the Western Balkans into the EU.
The United Nations announced Tuesday that a 30th country had signed on to the international convention banning cluster bombs, paving the way for the document to come into force on August 1. “The United Nations received today the 30th instrument of ratification for the Convention on Cluster
Italian ambassador to Serbia Armando Varricchio said that Italy backs strongly the speeding up of Serbia’s EU integration. “I believe that the rest of the EU member-states absolutely support the European perspective of Serbia, regardless of the fact that some countries still have reservations towards the time period for applying for candidacy,†Varricchio told Belgrade daily Blic.
The Macedonian parliament and the assembly in PriÅ¡tina on Saturday ratified a document concerning the demarcation of the border between Macedonia and Kosovo. In Skopje, the voting came just before midnight and ended with 72 votes in favor and 11 against, after the opposition sought “clarifications” all day, claiming that the government was “giving away more than 650 meters of Macedonian territory”.
