European Policy Centre: Without Rule of Law There Will Be No Progress in Serbia’s Accession Negotiations

Srdjan Majstorovic (Wikimedia/European Western Balkans)

Srdjan Majstorovic, the chairman of the European Policy Centre’s governing board, told BETA on Aug. 17 that the earliest that one of the remaining chapters within Serbia’s EU accession negotiations might be opened is the end of 2020.

“The negotiation dynamics depends on Serbia’s genuine progress in the fulfillment of commitments from the chapters pertaining to the rule of law and the functioning of its democratic institutions. The earliest that one of the chapters might be opened could be the end of this year,” Majstorovic said.

According to him, there is a possibility that the new government’s actions and, above all, its immediate and concrete results in a short period of time, might convince the EU member states that Serbia deserves to open at least one other chapter by the end of this year.

“The decision on the opening and closing of chapters, however, is made unanimously by all the members. I am not sure that at this moment all 27 members are convinced that Serbia is ready to resume the negotiations,” Majstorovic said.

When asked what he believes Serbian authorities need to do to intensify the EU accession negotiations through the chapters, Majstorovic said the answer is rather simple.

“[They] have to demonstrate an unequivocal political determination and readiness to begin with the necessary changes. In addition, the negotiation process has to be better organized and tailored to suit the new methodology which Serbia has to first officially adopt, and to find a person with professional authority and personal integrity who will lead the accession negotiations,” Majstorovic told BETA.