Serbia has a realistic chance of getting EU candidate status by the end of the year, along with a starting date for accession talks, said member of the European Parliament Tanja Fajon.

Fajon, who is also the rapporteur for visa liberalization for the countries in the Western Balkans, told Free Europe radio that Serbia had done a lot by arresting Hague indictee Ratko Mladic and that this was very important in its EU integration process.

Of course, that is still not everything, but I expect Serbia to get candidate status in October, and I hope the starting date for accession talks will also be known at the same time, she added.

Asked if Serbia would be asked to recognize Kosovo before entering the EU, Fajon said it was too early to discuss what Serbia had to accept in regard to Kosovo.

That is a very sensitive issue and I do no want to comment on it right now, she said and reminded there is a technical dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, pointing out the important thing was to create normal living conditions for people on both sides.

Commenting of the issue of fake asylum seekers coming from Serbia to the EU, Fajon said their numbers had gone down, but that did not mean everything was fine now.

Serbian citizens are still seeking asylum in Germany, Belgium, and these countries are still concerned. Belgrade has done a lot in the last weeks and months, but it is important to continue the informational campaign and stricter border control, she said.