Serbia: EU enlargement commissioner cold to Serbian membership

Belgrade, 22 July (AKI) - European Union commissioner for enlargement Stefan Fuele said on Friday the arrest of Serbia's last war crimes fugitives Goran Hadzic this week wasn’t enough for Serbia to join the 27-nation club.

“I think that the arrest is excellent news and it’s great that Serbia fulfilled its promise,” Fuele told Radio Free Europe. But that lone won’t be enough for Serbia to get a status of an official candidate in October as Belgrade expects, he added.

“My answer is absolutely clear - no,” Fuele said. He pointed out that Belgrade had to fulfill many obligations relating to reforms, especially in its judiciary system, freedom of press, creation of a “friendly business climate” and improving relations with Kosovo which declared independence in 2008.

“The ball is in the Serbian court and I know they are doing whatever they can,” Fuele said.

He hailed the ongoing talks between Belgrade and Pristina on practical matters, but pointed out that the main topic, the status of Kosovo, hasn’t been touched on yet and will have to be dealt with soon.

“Serbia can’t become a member of the European Union without solving that problem, there is no doubt about it,” Fuele said. “It is up to Belgrade and Pristina to find a solution,” he concluded.

Pro-European Serbian president Boris Tadic has been saying that the arrest of war crimes suspects was the last precondition for EU membership. But opposition leaders have accused Tadic of treason, saying he was working on a tacit approval of Kosovo independence as a last condition for joining the EU.