No progress on freedom of expression, Serbia's minister says

Tanjug/Dragan Kujundžić

There has been no progress in terms of freedom of expression and the media but we will work on that, Serbia’s Minister for European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic said at Wednesday’s news conference with European Union Delegation chief Sem Fabrizi.

  “There are some activities but no progress. We take everything in the [European Commission progress] report seriously, she said a day after the Commission released its annual report on the Western Balkans. She said the report was balanced and good for Serbia, adding that there was no regression in any area.

“This report is important because it provides good arguments for the EU member states to lend support to Serbia for the opening of more chapters [in the pre-accession] negotiations,” the minister said.

The Serbian government was surprised by the report’s conclusion that progress had been achieved in the process of forming the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM) in Kosovo, Joksimovic said adding that no progress had been achieved.

The Commission report shows that Serbia has to do more to implement everything that Belgrade and Pristina agreed in order to achieve a legally binding comprehensive agreement, Fabrizi said.

The EU Delegation chief said the Serbian Government has achieved progress in terms of rule of law, combatting corruption, organized crime and in the judiciary but that more progress is needed. Serbia has achieved no progress in the field of freedom of expression but I appreciate that the minister said the government would tackle the issue because it is important for the European Union, Fabrizi said.