Von Beckerath presents EC report: Brussels ready for close cooperation with Serbia's new government

The head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Andreas von Beckerath, presented the European Commission's annual report on Serbia at the Europe House in Belgrade on November 4 and said the Union is ready for close cooperation with the future government. "We are ready to support them, not because Brussels demands it but because the citizens of Serbia expect it," he said.

According to the report, Serbia is among the countries with the highest level of alignment with EU legislation and meets the technical benchmarks to open cluster 3, covering competitiveness and inclusive growth. At the same time, the Commission finds alignment with the common foreign and security policy weak and says Serbia must engage in the dialogue with Pristina and implement its commitments without delay. The rule of law, the ambassador stressed, is the foundation of all other reforms.

The report for the Student List too

The report was presented to European integration minister Nemanja Starović, serving in a caretaker capacity, and to representatives of the Student List, which according to the Republic Electoral Commission won 53.01 percent of the vote against 38.98 percent for the Aleksandar Vučić – United Serbia list. "Serbia has everything it needs to move decisively towards the EU" and can "once again become one of the frontrunners among candidate countries", von Beckerath said. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas said alignment with foreign policy is important but that the new government should first be formed.