The European Parliament (EP) will not vote on ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) on Tuesday, as it was arranged earlier, since the voting was cancelled due to technical reasons.

The voting on the SAA will be held on Wednesday afternoon, when a new resolution on Serbia prepared by EP rapporteur for Serbia Jelko Kacin is to be passed.

During the Tuesday parliamentary debate on the SAA ratification, EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele, Hungarian Secretary of State for European Affairs Eniko Gyori and Kacin urged the European MPs to support the ratification of the SAA with Serbia.

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Bozidar Djelic told Tanjug before leaving for Strasbourg that ratification of the agreement in the EP is certain.

The European Union decided in June 2010 to start the ratification process, and 11 out of 27 EU member countries have ratified Serbia's SAA so far. Spain was the first to do so, on June 21 last year.

The EP, which is in session until Thursday, will hold a debate and then vote to ratify the SAA. Djelic, who started his three-day visit to Strasbourg with an address to the EP Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday, will attend the debate.

Djelic told the EP Foreign Affairs Committee that Serbia's central strategic goal is achieving candidate status for EU membership in 2011 and setting a starting date for accession talks in the spring of 2012.

Kacin's report on Serbia's progress, which recommends the ratification of the SAA, was adopted by the Foreign Affairs Committee on December 1, 2010 with 51 members voting for, three against and two abstaining.

MEPs invited to support Serbia and ratify SAA

European Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele, Hungarian Minister for European Affairs Eniko Gyori and European Parliament (EP) Rapporteur Jalko Kacin called on the MEPs on Tuesday to support the ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia.

Personally, I am very satisfied with the approach that Serbia demonstrated regarding the EU enlargement process, Fuele told the MEPs, adding that Serbia is sending encouraging messages.

Fuele assessed that Serbia is able to use all the potentials of the EU integration process and that the country should be supported in moving forward.

Gyori, whose country is currently holding the EU Presidency, stressed that Serbia has achieved great progress so far, owing to which it is nearing the ratification of the SAA.

However, she warned that the situation in Serbia is fragile, which is why the country needs encouragement.

Serbia is committed to achieving the EU membership and we will support its efforts, Gyori pointed out. The country is ready to take all the necessary steps, she added.

Gyori underscored that the SAA ratification is not the end, but rather the beginning of a process.

Kacin pointed to the shortcomings that Serbia is facing on its EU integration pathway, such as the judicial reform or the issue of restitution, but stressed that the country must receive the EU's support.

We have to back Serbia on this historic pathway, but also point to what else needs to be done, he said.

The MEPs that took part in the discussion made similar statements, including Slovenian MEP Zoran Taler, who said that the democratic Serbia, headed by President (Boris) Tadic, deserves support.

Discussion in European Parliament most positive for Serbia so far

Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Bozidar Djelic said that today's debate in the European Parliament on the resolution on Serbia's European integration and ratification of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) is the most positive to date and underlined that he expects strong support during tomorrow's voting.

Djelic told the Tanjug news agency that although today's debate which is a prelude to tomorrow's voting on the ratification of the SAA and the resolution was positive for Serbia, there was still criticism concerning the cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the reforms that should be implemented.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that today's debate announces a broad support in the European Parliament for the two documents that are crucial for Serbia.

He pointed out that Serbia is currently struggling to avoid the adoption of a number of unfavourable amendments which mostly introduce limitations in the upcoming dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

Serbia considers that this dialogue should be open and that the two sides should agree on issues they want to discuss and what they want to achieve together.