Committee Chairman Nenad Canak said that the ruling majority and most of the opposition at the Serbian Parliament are in agreement on Serbia’s EU accession. The Committee is dedicated to the European integration process and contributes to it wholeheartedly.

Committee Deputy Chairperson Elvira Kovacs informed the German MP about the role the National Assembly and the Committee play in ascertaining the negotiating positions on the chapters, emphasizing its cooperation with the National Convention on the EU. She also spoke about the influence the Committee and civil sector have on amending the draughts of the negotiation positions.

They also spoke about the effects of the recent conference organized by the European Integration Committee on the EU today, Serbia’s relationship with the Russian Federation and the Serbian citizens’ waning EU enthusiasm.

Committee Chairman Nenad Canak said that the EU, beset by challenges these days, should put more effort into promoting a pro-European policy and try to generate enthusiasm for the European idea in the candidate states. Canak said that the EU should not leave Serbia waiting at the door for too long because only as an EU member can Serbia be the problem-solving key.

Committee member and Head of the PFG with Germany Vesna Markovic said that the ongoing reforms in Serbia remain in the shadow of the Brussels Agreement. She fears that as its guarantor the EU might lack the power to pressure Pristina into establishing the Community of Serb Municipalities, opining that the implementation of the Brussels Agreement is a challenge for both Serbia and the EU. Markovic said that the biggest worry is what the EU would look like after Brexit and how that would impact on the course of Serbia’s negotiations. She took the opportunity to ask the Bundestag member to urge his country to support the opening of new negotiation chapters in Serbia’s membership talks.