Minister Asselborn stressed that Luxembourg supports the accession of Serbia and countries in the region to the European Union and expressed his expectation that by the end of the year Serbia would gain European Union candidacy status.

European Integrations Committee Chairman Laszlo Varga briefed Minister Asselborn on the National Assembly’s activities and efforts directed at Serbia’s gaining EU candidate status by the end of the year. He said that some key laws are about to be adopted which are a prerequisite for the candidacy status. Varga asked Luxembourg to continue its support of visa liberalisation for Serbian citizens despite the current problems because otherwise it would have negative consequences on Serbia’s continued Euro-integration process.

Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Prof. Dr Dragoljub Micunovic briefed the guest on the political reform and democratisation of political life in Serbia in the last decade. To Minister Asselborn’s question about the relations between Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, Micunovic replied that Serbia as a signer of the Dayton Accord respects the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and appeals for dialogue and agreement in the resolution of internal issues. Serbia and the Republic of Srpska have an agreement on special relations, compliant with the Dayton Accord, which provides the basis for cooperation in the spheres of culture, education and other.