EU decision on Serbia’s membership may be postponed

by admin
Dec 8, 2011
A draft conclusion of the EU heads of government summit currently being held, may delay a decision on Serbia’s accession into the EU until March 2012, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Stipulating conditions that Serbia had to fulfil, it concluded,
"With a view to granting Serbia the status of candidate country by March 2012, the European Council tasks the Council to examine and confirm that Serbia has continued to show credible commitment and achieved further progress"
The report follows speculation of a postponement in the decision after Germany and other countries expressed concern over Serbia’s relations with Kosovo, which declared independence in February 2008.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, called on Serbia to do more to respect the territorial integrity of Kosovo, commenting,
"The heads of state will consider in the next few hours if the explanations of the past few days are enough. I don't want to pre-empt anything."
Reports have emerged of other diplomats telling the press that the option of postponing the decision had gained support from other EU member states, following repeated clashes with NATO troops and roadblocks set up by Serbs opposing the Kosovan government’s rule.

See our earlier post: NATO demolishes barricades in Kosovo amid Serb protests (Oct 2011)

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