Giaufret: EC Report on Serbia Cautiously Optimistic

Emanuele Giaufret (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV/MO)

EU delegation chief in Serbia Emanuele Giaufret said on Oct. 21 that the European Commission's latest yearly report on Serbia's progress in the European integrations process was cautiously optimistic due to the fact that a number of reforms had been carried out, but that there was plenty still to be done.

"The report stresses everything that needs to be done, especially in the areas of rule of law, fighting corruption and organized crime, judicial independence, freedom of the media. There is still a lot of work left to be done but the report concludes there is a renewed devotion in Serbia to different chapters. An example is the improvement of judicial independence through constitutional reforms," Giaufret told N1 TV.

Giaufret also said that Serbia was working on applying a number of measures agreed in the EU-mediated inter-party dialogue and that it was taking steps toward realizing the OSCE office's recommendations for democratic institutions and human rights (ODIHR). He added that the theme of corruption was being dealt with by the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) and that a code of conduct for MPs had been adopted.

"A certain number of reforms have been carried out, some processes need to be wrapped up and entirely implemented and this is the essence of what it says in the report. The fact is that steps have been taken in a good direction,  the report provides an honest estimate of what has been done and where the government needs to shift its focus to," the EU ambassador said, adding that the process of joining the EU was the Serbian government's strategic goal and added that mutually approaching each other was a shared strategic interest.