Fabrizi: Upcoming Election a Test of Democracy for Serbia

Sem Fabrizi (Beta/Milan Obradovic)

EU Ambassador to Serbia Sem Fabrizi said on Dec. 20 that, as far as election conditions were concerned, the situation in Serbia was better than it had been before the holding of three rounds of an inter-party dialogue mediated by members of a European Parliament delegation, and that it would be even better if the agreement reached was implemented.

As a guest on a Serbian Broadcasting Corporation show, Fabrizi said that during the three rounds of the inter-party dialogue agreements had been reached which were to allow for the equal treatment of all participants in elections, including equal access to the media, adding that how the EU would evaluate Serbia on election day would depend on the implementation of said agreements.

We hope that what has been agreed will be carried out, so that everyone may take part in elections. The upcoming election will be a challenge and will certainly be a test of democracy, how Serbia will carry out that election on election day, said Fabrizi.

Fabrizi also said that the institutions in Brussels were very focused on developments in Serbia, as confirmed by the fact that a new chapter in the EU accession negotiations was opened 10 days ago.

The ambassador went on to say that in the area of economy Serbia had made significant progress in financial services and the flow of capital, which was the result of the opening of two chapters in negotiations with the EU and which resulted in trade with the EU being 65 percent. He underscored that the Serbian economy could have faster economic growth and close the gap between the Serbian and the economies of EU countries, provided it reformed the public procurement procedure of public companies.

Fabrizi further said that Serbia had much to do in judiciary reform and the rule of law, media freedom, the fight against corruption and democratization of society, but also that the EU supported the deepening of regional cooperation in the Western Balkans, which it saw as "a part of the process of association with the EU."