Serbian minister, US ambassador discuss EU integration

NEWS 11.02.201919:55
Tanjug/Filip Krainčanić

Serbia’s European Integration Minister Jadranka Joksimovic discussed the country’s integration into the European Union, reforms, the situation in the region and US-Serbia relations with the American Ambassador in Belgrade Kyle Scott on Monday.

A government press release said that she informed the ambassador of Serbia’s foreign policy priorities, adding that she expects more chapters to be opened in the pre-accession negotiations with the EU by mid-2019.

Scott is quoted as saying that the US support Serbia’s European integration and urges Belgrade and Pristina to continue their dialogue and added that Serbia is an important US partner and important element of security and regional stability.

He called Serbia to continue contributing to that stability. Joksimovic said that Belgrade wants to continue the dialogue to find a viable solution once Pristina revokes the tariffs on goods from Serbia. She said that activities by Pristina and others in the region do not contribute to the stability that Belgrade is insisting on, the statement said without specifying who the minister was referring to.

The press release said that Joksimovic and Scott agreed that Serbia has made significant progress in its European integration process and should continue working to meet the criteria for EU membership, especially in the rule of law, efficiency of the judiciary and public administration and fight against corruption.