Beckerath: Rule of Law, Freedom of Media Expectations that the EU and Serbia's Citizens Share

Andreas von Beckerath (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV)

EU Ambassador to Serbia Andreas von Beckerath said on Nov. 5 while handing the European Commission's annual report on Serbia's progress toward the EU over to National Convention on the EU coordinator Bojana Selakovic that rule of law, democracy, freedom of the media and fighting corruption are areas in which the EU expects to overlap completely with Serbia's citizens.

Beckerath thanked Serbia's parliament, the European Movement and civil society for contributing to the EU accession process, stressing that civil society, despite long being exposed to attacks and criticisms by senior state officials, has kept consistently to its views.

"Serbia's citizens expressed their stance on Oct. 25. They wanted a government that would fight corruption, a free and independent judiciary, free and independent media, democratic institutions that serve citizens and the protection of human rights. The recent parliamentary elections have opened a new chapter in Serbia's political life and created an opportunity for new political engagement and reforms. This report also comes at a moment that is of special importance to the EU," Beckerath said. He added that Serbia is one of the countries with the highest degree of harmonization with EU laws and well prepared in the areas of the single market and competition.

He added that the EC reiterates that Serbia has met the technical criteria for opening negotiations in the area of the judiciary, and that progress in harmonizing legislation and technical standards has been achieved in some areas. He said that corruption remains a serious challenge and that the risk of state capture is still present as well as that backsliding has been noted in several key areas especially freedom of the media and expression and public administration. Backsliding, he said, has also been registered in the areas of education and culture, while, as for foreign policy, he said the report shows Serbia's poor harmonization with the EU's common foreign and security policy.