The EU makes it clear: No conditions for opening new chapter with Serbia

The European Union's Council of Ministers has concluded that the conditions for opening a new chapter in membership negotiations with Serbia have not been met and that progress is necessary in reconciliation in the region, issues of democracy, independence of the judiciary, freedom of expression and media, German Minister for Europe Michael Roth said in Brussels today.

He said that at the end of the two-day session of EU foreign ministers, and thus answered the question of journalists what prevented the opening of at least one chapter in negotiations with Belgrade.

The opening of the negotiating chapter for EU membership is not a generous gift from Brussels and does not depend on Berlin, but on the progress achieved, and it is necessary for the European Commission's proposal to be unanimously approved by all members to open a new chapter”, Roth said.

The Council of Ministers concluded that conditions have not been met enough to open a new chapter in negotiations with Serbia”, the German minister for Europe added.

If the discussions, Roth explained, found that in the main issues of media pluralism, democracy, political pluralism, freedom of expression, reconciliation in the region, independence of the judiciary, sufficient progress has been made, then it would not be very difficult to go further and open up negotiating chapters.

But that's not up to us, it's not in our hands, of course it depends on the candidate countries for membership,” the German minister for European Affairs concluded.