Serbian FM expects to open two clusters in talks with EU

Aleksandar Barda/Fonet

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic said on Thursday that the government expects to open two clusters in the accession talks with the European Union by the end of the year.

Selakovic told EU Delegation chief Emanuele Giaufret and EU ambassadors that he expects an inter-governmental conference when the clusters will be opened to be held by the end of Slovenia’s presidency of the EU Council.

A press release quoted him as saying that EU membership is an absolute foreign policy priority and strategic commitment for Serbia and adding that the dynamics of the accession talks should be in line with Serbia’s reform efforts. He said that the fact that the latest European Commission progress report was more positive than the previous report is encouraging.

The press release said that Giaufret “praised the current level of cooperation between the EU and Serbia in the field of common security and defense policy, as well as the important contribution of Serbia to EU missions and operations”.

He is quoted as saying that “there is broad support in the Foreign Affairs Council for the EU’s strong engagement in the region and the region’s further involvement in our foreign policy efforts”.