A delegation of the European Integrations Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, headed by its Chairman Laszlo Varga, met today at the National Assembly House with the Secretary of State for the European Union in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Spain, Diego López Garrido.

Secretary of State Garrido asked about the Serbian citizens’ expectations from the European Union accession and the problems that need to be overcome on the way. He said that Spain will continue to fully support Serbia’s accession to the European Union.

Committee Chairman Laszlo Varga said that the Serbian citizens expect the accession to the European Union to turn Serbia into a modern democratic state and improve the standard of living.

The Serbian Government’s Action Plan for a speedier achievement of the candidacy status and for the National Assembly sets out the priorities for the upcoming months, among which are passing a law on the election of deputies, financing political parties and restitution.

According to research, said Varga, due to the slow pace of Serbia’s accession and the impact some of the reforms had on the standard of the population, public support for European integration dropped from 70 to 58%. He stated that full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal is the most difficult issue for Serbia, adding that the completion of the judiciary reform is also very important.

Delegation members, Natasa Vuckovic, Momir Markovic and Petar Petrovic thanked Secretary of State Garrido for Spain’s consistent and principled support of Serbia’s efforts to preserve its territorial integrity, grounded in the principles of international law.

In the meeting, the officials confirmed that Serbia and Spain enjoy an excellent political and economic cooperation and the two countries are bound by traditional friendship.