Halacheva Says EC Report Not a Document That Criticizes but a Mirror

Plamena Halacheva (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV)

Deputy head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Plamena Halacheva said on Nov. 7 that the European Commission’s report made it clear that Serbia needed to make swift progress in protecting human rights, the judiciary, and freedom of expression, emphasizing that the document was not meant to criticize, but to mirror the situation as it was.

Speaking at the presentation of the Report at the EU Info Centre in Belgrade, Halacheva noted that attempts were made every year to downplay the importance of the document, which she described as unfair, stressing that it was essential for the public to understand the accession process and for citizens to stay informed. “The report is a qualitative assessment, a roadmap. Its purpose is not to grade candidate countries or to say that this was one of the worst reports, or actually the worst,” Halacheva said at the event organized by the Center for Democracy Foundation and the Center for Contemporary Politics.

The EU Delegation’s official underlined the need for an open, fact-based discussion, saying that enlargement was a daily choice, not just a technical process. “This is not a document that criticizes, but a mirror that reflects both progress and the areas that require additional effort,” Halacheva explained.

She said that the main conclusion in the Commission’s report was that the pace of reforms in Serbia had slowed down considerably, and highlighted the areas that needed urgent improvement. “Serbia must overcome challenges in protecting human rights, the judiciary, and freedom of expression. Moreover, electoral freedoms are not only what the EU expects - they are also what the citizens of Serbia are asking for,” Halacheva said.

Deputy head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Plamena Halacheva said on Nov. 7 that the European Commission’s report made it clear that Serbia needed to make swift progress in protecting human rights, the judiciary, and freedom of expression, emphasizing that the document was not meant to criticize, but to mirror the situation as it was.

Speaking at the presentation of the Report at the EU Info Centre in Belgrade, Halacheva noted that attempts were made every year to downplay the importance of the document, which she described as unfair, stressing that it was essential for the public to understand the accession process and for citizens to stay informed. “The report is a qualitative assessment, a roadmap. Its purpose is not to grade candidate countries or to say that this was one of the worst reports, or actually the worst,” Halacheva said at the event organized by the Center for Democracy Foundation and the Center for Contemporary Politics.

The EU Delegation’s official underlined the need for an open, fact-based discussion, saying that enlargement was a daily choice, not just a technical process. “This is not a document that criticizes, but a mirror that reflects both progress and the areas that require additional effort,” Halacheva explained.

She said that the main conclusion in the Commission’s report was that the pace of reforms in Serbia had slowed down considerably, and highlighted the areas that needed urgent improvement. “Serbia must overcome challenges in protecting human rights, the judiciary, and freedom of expression. Moreover, electoral freedoms are not only what the EU expects - they are also what the citizens of Serbia are asking for,” Halacheva said.