EU MULLS SERBIA-MONTENEGRO'S EUROPEAN FUTURE

A new document expected to lay the groundwork for future relations between Serbia-Montenegro and the EU was presented in Belgrade last month, following its adoption at a June meeting of the Council of Ministers.

The head of the Serbian government’s office for EU accession, Radmila Milivojevic, and the head of the European Commission’s (EC) delegation to Serbia-Montenegro, Geoffrey Barrett, presented the document. Entitled "European Partnership with Serbia-Montenegro," it is based on the conclusions reached at the Thessaloniki summit held in June 2003.

At the summit, EU member states declared their commitment to a European future for the Western Balkans, and proposed steps aimed at boosting co-operation.

The EU document addresses the concrete requirements that Serbia-Montenegro must fulfil in the coming period, including full co-operation with The Hague tribunal and the formation of a harmonised and functional state union. It calls for the establishment of a state union court, completion of negotiations with the London Club of creditors, and ratification of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Prevention of Torture.

In addition, it covers economic issues, such as the co-ordination of laws, customs procedures, production methods and controls.

A European Partnership process was instrumental in the accession of the Union's ten newest members -- who joined the EU in May -- setting reforms which candidate countries had to make in order to meet EU criteria.

"At issue is a whole series of laws and projects that will last several years," said Serbian Chamber of Commerce President Radoslav Veselinovic, pledging that the Chamber would do everything in its power to meet the economic requirements as quickly as possible.

Citing "more urgent business," however, Serbian Finance Minister Mladjan Dinkic downplayed the possibility of harmonising relations between Serbia and Montenegro in the near future. "We must devote ourselves to our internal problems, before everything else, to raising the standard of living," he said.

That kind of thinking, counters Ivan Knezevic of the European Movement, is precisely why Belgrade has lost much-needed time in the European integration process.

The EU now expects Serbia-Montenegro to come up with a detailed plan for fulfilling the requirements outlined in the document. According to Knezevic, "it is first necessary to reach political consensus, and then the time frames which define priorities for European partnership become more realistic."

"This document should provide the EC with the basis for designing financial instruments that will support the realisation of these priorities," he said.

Southeast European Times