Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said in Belgrade on Aug. 18 that German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be requested to support obtaining candidate status and setting the date for the start of negotiations between Serbia and the European Union.

"This is not possible without Germany's vote," Djelic told reporters in the Serbian Chamber of Commerce.

He estimated that Merkel's forthcoming visit represents good news for the citizens of Serbia, and a possibility for the German chancellor to be directly informed about what Serbia had done in the domain of European integration, economic reforms and possibilities for German companies to do business.

Djelic said he will also ask for Germany's support for the Connecting Europe fund, through which European funds are being used for financing infrastructure projects that are important for the whole of Europe, both in countries of the European Union and in those which are not members.