EU commissioner: Agreement was made to be implemented
The transcript of the interview EU Enlaragement Commissioner Stefan Fule gave to B92 in Belgrade on April 26:
Journalist: Ljubica GojgićSource:
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B92: Mr. Fule, everybody here in Serbia, in Belgrade, expects you to reveal whether Serbia will get the date for the accession negotiations in June. Are you in a position to confirm that?
Fule: I'm in a position to confirm that there has been a very clear recommendation of the College and High Representative Lady Ashton that Serbia has delivered on the membership criteria, has delivered on the key priority, a visible and sustainable progress in normalization with Kosovo. And that's why we recommend opening of accession negotiations to the member states - that I could confirm. And I could also confirm that the member states, when they have debated this recommendation of ours on Monday in the framework of the General Affairs Council they were very positive in their assessment. But the decision is on them, they are expected to make the final decisions in the General Affairs Council on the 25th of June, but I'm confident that if Serbia will continue to implement the reforms related to the membership criteria, and if it starts the implementation of the 19th of April agreement, that we will get there.
B92: And that's exactly what I wanted to ask you - some of your colleagues from the EU, and officials from various EU member states, insist on the implementation of the signed agreement as the key factor for a positive decision in June. Moreover, the voices from Berlin say the signature on the agreement really doesn't mean that much, "we want to see implementation." Could you explain what that really means? What do you want to see?
Fule: Listen, everything has its own place and its own reasoning. I don't really like people saying, signature's nothing, implementation's everything. Everything has its sequence, so... And that's why there has been so much recognition and appreciation for reaching the agreement. But, the member states, but also the EU institutions are very clear that you're making this agreement, why? For it to stay on the paper? No, you're making this agreement to be implemented. Actually, the parties themselves have agreed that in the course of today they will finalize some kind of implementation plan. Once you finalize implementation plan - not imposed by the European Union, not imposed by any member state, but agreed by the two parties - one would expect that you would, then, deliver. And as I said, between now and the end of June, there is plenty of time to show the sustainable track of starting the implementation of this agreement.
B92: Kosovo Serbs, however, are not convinced that the deal is offering anything good to them. They are worried about their security, and above all they want to continue living in Serbia. I'm sure that your counterparts here in Belgrade, have, or would inform you that Kosovo Serbs are calling for the referendum, and that the government is offering the referendum under certain condition. How would then - you, in the EU, take that process - as a setback, a step back, or process of implementation?
Fule: No, listen - everything what is going to take us forward, everything what is going to take us to implementation, everything what to persuade the Kosovo Serbs, and particularly those living in the north, that the agreement is actually the best way how to deal with this unsustainable status quo, will be fine with the EU institutions and member states...
B92: Even the referendum?
Fule: If it does not stay in a way of the implementation of what has been agreed, but will contribute to it, and will buy in also the Kosovo Serbs - then it is your decision, okay? You will not be given any prescriptions from us how to do it. You have voluntarily reached an agreement with Priština, now it's time, in the same spirit, to see the implementation. And I only hope that the time we have will be devoted to explain to Kosovo Serbs that their rights are going to be guaranteed, that their way of life, their interest, that actually through that agreement there will be even more safeguards to guarantee that, that through that agreement they will actually get much more possibilities to be part of a bigger prosperity and stability in that region, and, ultimately, they will be part of that European project.
B92: Should they believe Mr. Thaci when he says that with this agreement, the European Union as a whole recognized Kosovo? The independence of Kosovo?
Fule: This agreement is not about the recognition of Kosovo, and, we have never facilitated that normalization with this aim. The normalization itself has been characterized by us in the progress report last year, there are a number of the reasons why we're making clear, and this is the only way actually how we could express our position on it, that the normalization is not the way for Serbia to recognize legally the independence of Kosovo, but it doesn't take away anything from a) the need of the normalization and for finding a way that normalization enables both Serbia and - Beograd (Belgrade) and Priština - to move toward the European Union. Actually, enjoying all the benefits and rights of being within the European Union without each other blocking its respective path.
B92: I know it is not popular asking you about the specific dates, you do not like that and I understand. But providing that Serbia gets - that the atmosphere is such and that the European Council decides in June to follow, to follow, to acknowledge your recommendation, what is your experience with other countries - when, then, the date might be set? For the end of the year, for the next year, how does that work?
Fule: I was actually looking at this experience, just yesterday with my colleagues, and to tell the truth, we have not really found one good model to be applied on Serbia. There are two things important - first, once the decision has been made by the member states, and I expect indeed that the conditions will continue to be such that the member states will provide the green light to open accession negotiations. Then, there is going to be no artificial delay in that process. The Commission will immediately start the preparation of the negotiating framework, provide that framework, draft framework to the member states for their deliberation, and they will for sure pay attention to the chapters 23-24, in the light of the new approach to the accession process...
B92: ... judiciary and human rights?
Fule: Exactly, fundamental freedoms, judiciary, justice, freedom, and security. The backbone of transformation. And the second issue they will be paying attention to is this key priority we have been referring, and this is this visible and sustainable improvement of the relations with Kosovo, that the normalization continues through the accession process. And I would, in the light of that, I would avoid any speculation about next year, and dragging this process into the next year. While I confirm - I'm not good in providing the dates, and this is not going to be an exception - at the same time, please, there is no need to speculate about next year.
B92: You said last evening you encouraged Serbian officials to carry on, to intensify their reforms. Apart from the dialogue with Priština, where do you see the key areas where the Serbian government should really focus on? Judiciary, of course...
Fule: Yes, those were, actually, the very subjects of today's conference, in cooperation with the Council of Europe, launching this project against the corruption in Serbia, and this is judiciary reforms, and the fight against corruption, where we expect that the work which goes on for months on the strategies and action plan will actually pick up and will be finalized in the month of June; it's the public administration reform, where we also expect progress because for the accession negotiations we need strong administration and effective administration, it's protection of minorities, those are the issues of state aid, and regional cooperation. These are, sort of, the main issues. We have highlighted as being positive in our assessment, and we're stressing that this positive development should continue also in the time until the June General Affairs Council.
B92: And, finally, you also mention in your report the importance of regional cooperation that does not apply only to Priština but also to other neighboring countries. In that light how do you see yesterday's - are you aware of yesterday's statement by President Nikolić that's causing a lot of reactions in the region, where he said that he basically - where he basically apologized to people in Bosnia for what happened in the war.
Fule: You're right about reactions, I think one should add positive reactions, and one should add not only in the region but actually throughout Europe. I would say it has been extremely important step toward healing the wounds which are still so much open in this region.
B92: And being in a position to influence the leadership in Priština, would you equally encourage Mr. Thaci for example, to follow suit, to do something similar - provided that you agree there are wounds on the Serbian side, as well?
Fule: We're not the one running the reconciliation process, we are facilitating it. Reconciliation is based on the good will and on efforts of the politicians in this region to address its past with the aim to move forward with the European future. And I hope within the same spirit, not only the politicians in Serbia but politicians throughout the region will act and will continue to act.