EP rapporteur welcomes decision to grant Serbia candidate status / 02-03-2012

Responding to the European Council's approval of Serbia's candidate status following the lifting of a last minute Romanian reserve over the treatment of minorities, Jelko Kacin (LDS, Slovenia), EP rapporteur on Serbia's accession said:

"I warmly welcome the Council's decision to grant Serbia candidate status. It is a hugely positive step forward and recognition of Serbia's reform efforts."

"It is also an important step forward for the region as a whole and an opportunity to definitively move on from the conflicts of the 1990s. Serbia has demonstrated its proactive, flexible and responsive approach in the run up to yesterday's Council."

"I just regret the way the decision on granting the candidate status to Serbia was delayed, due to eleventh hour and unjustified objections by some Member States. Nevertheless, I hope Serbia will remain ambitious in striving for the quick opening of accession negotiations."

(Portal Europe)