Joksimovic: We Don’t Have to Continue European Integrations According to New Methodology

Jadranka Joksimovic (Beta/Milan Obradovic)

Serbian Minister of European Integrations Jadranka Joksimovic said on Feb. 6 that Serbia is not obligated to continue European integrations using the new EU enlargement methodology.

European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Oliver Varhelyi stated on Feb. 5 that the EU Commission has adopted a new accession methodology with the purpose of reestablishing a credible membership perspective for the Western Balkans countries wishing to join the Union.

“The new methodology was created for North Macedonia and Albania, because these countries did not get the green light for the beginning of negotiations. It doesn’t apply to us, unless we, willingly and having appraised the situation, agree to it,” said Joksimovic for the RTS public service.

She stressed the importance of “the advanced economic plan,” a segment of the new methodology, which is to be presented before the summit in Zagreb, adding that Serbia will base its decision whether or not to adopt the new methodology, on the plan’s content.

The minister also recalled that Varhelyi will be visiting Serbia on Feb. 6 and that on the occasion the annual agreement with the IPA fund is to be signed, which would award Serbia EUR200 million in grants. These funds are accessible to countries that have already begun EU membership negotiations.