Serbia receives candidate status to the European Union

Friday, March 2, 2012

"The countries of the European Union have decided to grant Serbia candidate status", said the EU president, Herman Van Rompuy, after the first day of an EU summit on Thursday 1 in March. Here, MM. Van Rompuy and Tadic in Brussels. AFP / Georges Gobet

Serbia received Thursday, March ^1, more than two years after having knocked on the door of the EU, the coveted status of candidate for membership on the part of Brussels, anxious to reward Belgrade for its reconciliation efforts with the Kosovo and the arrest of Ratko Mladic .

"The countries of the European Union decided to grant the candidate status for Serbia ", said the EU president, Herman Van Rompuy, after the first day of an EU summit. It was unanimously of Twenty-Seven to give this precious document eagerly anticipated by the Serbian President Boris Tadic . "This is a historic step," said a European diplomat, recalling that there are thirteen years Serbia was the scene of the NATO bombing during the Kosovo war. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, that Belgrade refuses to recognize , but progress in bilateral relations were obtained under the direction of Brussels.

On his arrival in Brussels, Romanian President Traian Basescu , had removed the last doubts about the green light from the EU, by announcing that he raised his objection to the granting of status in Belgrade, a compromise was reached with Serbs. This particular agreement guarantees that the rights of the Romanian minority living in Serbia, estimated at some 30,000 people, are well protected. It also plans to ensure the fate of the Serb minority living in Romania. The defense of the Romanian minority in Serbia had been mooted by Tuesday Bucharest justify its objection. And Romania was the last EU country to have more reserves to the decision by Brussels.
The European Commission has committed his side to follow very closely "the implementation" of Serbian legislation protecting the rights of this minority, in the discussions to come to Belgrade. Candidate status formalized, the path is still long before Serbia joins the EU. Belgrade should expect now that the accession negotiations actually open, which will not necessarily be a formality, then they lead. In the best case, Serbia can expect to join the Union by the end of the decade.
From Belgrade, Tadic welcomed by recalling that "the citizens of Serbia have carried the heaviest burden of the reforms that our country is transformed into a democratic society in which human rights and minority rights are respected and European values ​​confirmed ". Since his election in June 2004, Mr. Tadic, a pro-European, has been constantly hanging up his country to the EU.
 

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A German minister wants to give the Greek economy at a European commissioner

Philipp Rösler, the German Minister of Economy, December 14, 2011 in Berlin. Stephanie Pilick / AFP

The German minister of economics, Philipp Rösler , would see one of the 27 European Commissioners load especially the rebuilding of the Greek economy, and said in an interview published Friday, March 2 in the daily Handelsblatt "does not understand that Greece is opposed to this proposal. "

The "Commissioner reconstruction" would have "primary responsibility elk growth and the implementation of reforms" in the country, the minister suggested (FDP). It would coordinate offers of help including the Member States. M. Rösler reiterated his disappointment at the lack of enthusiasm of Greece to accept the German offers of support. "It is especially important now that Greece is finally ready for more cooperation," he said. Earlier this week, a document from his department had circulated which drew a disappointing assessment of the initiatives launched by Germany to support the effort Greek.
"I do not understand that the Greek side there is opposition to this proposal," he said about the idea of a dedicated commissioner. "Sometimes I get the impression that the Greek people are aware of the sacrifices necessary, but that Greek leaders do not want to give up their privileges, "he said. Germany had already floated the idea of a "statutory savings" that would ensure the Greek finances, an idea rejected by most of its partners and by the Greeks themselves, who saw it as an attempt guardianship very unwelcome. M. Rösler is customary statements to the punch on Greece. He had publicly referred to a bankruptcy of the country a few months ago, igniting markets.

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