Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Bozidar Djelic stated today that it is important to implement the action plan for acquiring EU candidate status by the end of June in order to secure a positive opinion of the European Commission.

Addressing the Serbian Parliament’s Committee on EU Integration, Djelic said that European Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule will deliver the European Commission’s opinion on 12 October in Belgrade, and stressed the need for everyone to work hard so that the opinion would recommend Serbia’s candidate status and set the date for the talks.

He announced that on 21 February the first European Commission’s technical mission will arrive in Belgrade to deal with security issues.

The issue of security, just as those of judiciary and human rights, will be of major interest in the upcoming talks with the EU over the next several months, Djelic observed.

He announced that on 22 and 23 March the Committee for the Implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, that is, its trade-related part, will hold a meeting in Brussels, which is of crucial importance as its implementation is very significant for Serbia’s preparation for EU membership.