European Mediators Say Talks in Serbia Constructive

European Mediators (BETAPHOTO/EMIL VAS/EV)

The members of the European Parliament mediating inter-party talks on election conditions said in Belgrade, on July 11 that talks between the ruling parties and opposition in Serbia were constructive and open, and held in a good atmosphere.

Upon the completion of the second stage of the EP-mediated dialog on election conditions, mediators Tanja Fajon, Vladimir Bilcik and Knut Flekenstein pointed out that on July 10 and July 11 representatives of the authorities and opposition had sat down at the same table for the first time and proposed constructive positions and ideas.

At a joint news conference with Ivica Dacic, speaker of the Serbian parliament, the three European mediators underscored that they were not against a parallel, unmediated dialog between the government and other opposition parties, but said they expected the results of these two processes to be aligned with a view to securing all conditions for a fair and democratic vote.

Fajon, head of the EP's delegation for relations with Serbia, said the European envoys' goal was to support Serbia in its bid to join the EU and improve election conditions ahead of elections next year. Bilcik, the EP's rapporteur for Serbia, said the current stage of inter-party dialog had produced significant results in the areas of the media and election conditions, but that unresolved issues and challenges remained.