Minister: ODIHR recommendations, REM Council election to be implemented within a year

At the presentation of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and Serbia’s Reform Agenda, the minister emphasized that attention will be focused on improving the rule of law, without neglecting socio-economic growth.

The presentation was attended by the head of the European Union (EU) delegation to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret and National Convention on the European Union (NCEU) Coordinator Bojana Selakovic.

“We need to meet seven key requirements by the end of the year, and the top priority, as outlined in the Reform Agenda, will be the implementation of ODIHR recommendations. Following that, we must proceed with the re-election of the REM Council, which is also a requirement under the amended laws adopted late last year,” said Miscevic.

Ambassador Giaufret said that within the next seven days the European Commission will adopt the reform agendas of the Western Balkan countries, and efforts are being made for Serbia to receive a seven percent payout from the total of 1.58 billion euros allocated under the Growth Plan.

He explained that, in order for the funds to be disbursed, the Serbian Parliament needs to pass two essential laws that will allow for the implementation of reforms within the indicated timeframe.

Giaufret noted that the adoption of the Reform Agenda is a positive step Serbia has taken toward full membership in the EU.

NCEU Coordinator Selakovic said the civil society is not entirely satisfied with the way the Reform Agenda was developed, feeling it could have been more ambitious.