At the sitting held on 22 July, the European Integrations Committee discussed the Government’s Report on the implementation of the National Programme for Integration of the Republic of Serbia with the European Union for the period April-June 2009. The sitting was chaired by Laszlo Varga, Committee Chairman.

The Report was elaborated by the Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Bozidar Djelic who said that, thanks to the Government and National Assembly’s considerable efforts, significant progress has been made in bringing Serbia closer to the EU, evidenced by the fact that the degree of fulfillment of the goals set in the NPI has risen from 29% in December last year to 70% this year.

Deputy Prime Minister Djelic stressed that the National Assembly had adopted 66 laws from the so-called European agenda in the first half of the year. He said that, on 14 July, the European Commission proposed the abolition of visas for Serbian citizens travelling into countries who had signed the “white Schengen”, starting from 1 January 2010. The proposal should be verified by the European Parliament in November, and by the Council of Ministers by the end of November or in December of this year.

Some additional work needs to be done by 30 September regarding the visa liberalisation, among it signing the operational agreement between Serbia and EULEX on the establishment of an administrative line with Kosovo, Djelic said. It is also necessary to ensure the implementation of the Law on Foreigners, efficient fight against corruption and secure procedure of issuance of biometric passports. He said that citizens living in Kosovo-Metohija shall not enjoy visa abolishment for security reasons, but that the Government shall continue its activities to secure visa liberalization for them as well.

Djelic emphasised that considerable funds from the European budget shall pour into Serbia this and next year, intended primarily for the budgetary deficit.

Djelic expressed his expectation that the European Commission’s report on Serbia’s progress towards the EU in October shall be the most favourable so far and that it shall enable Serbia to receive candidate status.

The Committee members adopted the Report.