European Parliament notes reform progress in Serbia

NEWS 29.11.201814:50
Tanjug / Marina Maksimović

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution saying that Serbia has achieved progress in economic reforms but that it has to achieve tangible results in reforming the judiciary, combating corruption and securing freedom of the media.

The resolution was drafter by rapporteur for Serbia MEP David McAllister.

The MEPs alos adopted six amendments, including those on the Savamala case, the attitude of the Serbian authorities towards the Srebrenica genocide and the protection of the enviroment.

The European Parliament resolution noted some progress in the Savamala case – the illegal destruction of private property and detention of people in April 2016 and called for the case to be solved and the perpetrators brought to justice.

Another amendment said that parliament regrets the continuing denial of the Srebrenica genocide by parts of the Serbian authorities and recalled that full cooperation with the Hague tribunal and its successor mechanism includes accepting its judgements.

It said that recognition of the genocide is the main step on Serbia’s road to the European Union. The resolution also welcomes Serbia’s consistent engagement on the road to joining the EU. It noted some progress in reforming the judiciary and called the Serbian authorities to secure the independence and efficiency of the courts and step up the fight against corruption.

The resolution welcomed efforts to normalize Belgrade-Pristina relations and added that any agreement is acceptable if both sides are in agreement and the stability of the region maintained. It noted the statements on possible corrections of the border but warned that ethnically pure states should not be the goal in the region.