Serbia's Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said Friday that state bodies have just over a month to send to the parliament the bills whose adoption will meet key requirements of the European Commission (EC) and which are a prerequisite of EU candidate status.

In an interview to Tanjug, Djelic said that Serbia made good "split time" in the first quarter when it comes to acting on EC recommendations, but that the most complicated bills - those regulating the country's political and electoral system and restitution - are yet to be passed.

"Now is the time to get to work, to focus on internal reforms. It is up to us to make sure the EC opinion, which will be published October 12, be as positive as possible, and that it recommend not only candidate status but opening accession talks as well," Djelic said, expressing hope that accession talks will start in the first half of 2012.

According to him, after the EC opinion comes out, Serbia will mount a major diplomatic campaign until mid December, when EU member countries will take a stand on Serbia's candidacy.

In his opinion, Serbia has never had a better political rating in the EU, and the reason for this are the policy of peace and reforms that official Belgrade has advocated in recent years.

When it comes to the link between Serbia's cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and European integration, Djelic said there is no more time for speculation about the tone of the June report of ICTY Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz and whether it will satisfy the EC.

"Now it the time to act. All state services must do their share," Djelic pointed out.

He added that during Brammertz's last visit to Belgrade in March this year, Serbia showed it is acting on his recommendations and will continue to cooperate fully with the ICTY with the clear goal of finding and apprehending the two remaining fugitives.

According to him, Serbia needs to make it possible for Brammertz to characterize its cooperation as full in his December report, which will be released shortly before EU member countries decide about Serbia's candidacy.