Political assessments in report, Serbian European integration minister says

NEWS 30.05.201911:00
Tanjug/screenshot

European Integration Minister Jadranka Joksimovic said on Thursday that the European Commission report is positive but includes a lot of political assessments.

Joksimovic told the Serbian state TV (RTS) that the report noted progress in almost all areas with no regression, adding that the general assessment is that Serbia has done more than was noted in the report.  

According to the minister, perception has distorted the clarity of the facts.

Joksimovic recalled that the report said there had been no progress in freedom of the media and added that all the activities recommended in the previous report had been implemented including the drafting of a media strategy and legal proceedings against everyone who threatened or attacked journalists as well as an end to the case of the murder of newspaper publisher Slavko Curuvija.

She said that it’s not logical to say that there was no progress after all that which is why this is a political assessment.

She criticized the report authors for not noting that the opposition refused a call from Parliament Speaker Maja Gojkovic to take part in debates. Another political assessment, she said, is the fact that the report notes that the opposition protests were mainly peaceful but does not note that the opposition broke in into the RTS building.