Minister Welcomes Intergovernmental Conference  on June 22  

Jadranka Joksimovic (Beta/Milan Obradovic)

Serbia's minister in charge of the country's accession to the European Union (EU) Jadranka Joksimovic said on June 13 that it was a good sign that the Union had decided to hold an intergovernmental conference with Serbia on June 22 and that Serbia's results were being recognized.

Joksimovic said in an interview with the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation (RTS) that it was even more important that it was going to be a high-level conference, most likely at the ministerial level. "This is very good, because, among other things, it is a political sign that what we have been doing is not invisible, and that Serbia's results cannot be ignored," Joksimovic said.

Some EU states have refused to give a green light for opening new chapters in the accession negotiations with Serbia, but have accepted an intergovernmental conference. The state television station reported on June 11 that a number of EU member states had refused to consent to opening new chapters with Serbia, saying that despite some results, the country had failed to make enough progress.

The state broadcaster also reported that Serbia expected Brussels to clarify certain things at the intergovernmental conference. Serbia needs to know exactly how to open a cluster, the criteria for this and how to use investment funds.