30/04/2008
EU is Serbia's destiny
30 April 2008
Commenting on the signing of the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Agreement PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen said:
“Serbia’s destiny is to be a member of the European Union, and no Serbian nationalist can deny it. The signing of the Association Agreement is a first step of enormous significance.”
“Boris Tadic deserves our congratulations for leading his country to this historic moment. There can be no justification now for Serbia to retreat into nationalism. Serbia is on a road into the European Union that will bring great benefits to its people and to its future. Boris Tadic has done so much to earn our wholehearted support in the Legislative elections to be held on 11 May.”
“I welcome the compromise made by Belgium and the Netherlands to accept the Agreement despite Belgrade's failure to hand over war crimes suspects.”
“The PES has long supported the entry of all countries of the western Balkans into the European Union. We will continue our efforts to encourage the development of social democratic parties in the region as well as more cooperation between governments and parties in the region.”
Foreign Affairs ministers from the EU's 27 member states signed the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia, but it will not be ratified until Serbia co-operates fully with the war crimes tribunal in The Hague.
