Serbia`s Deputy Prime Minister for European integration Bozidar Djelic said yesterday in Vienna after the meeting with Austrian Vice Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Spindelegger that Austria will support the start of negotiations on Serbia’s EU membership in December.
Djelic said in a statement to Tanjug news agency that Austria’s endorsement is important and that it has been confirmed once more that this country is one of Serbia’s major allies on its path towards the EU.
We received backing for our ideas that would allow the Western Balkans and Serbia to receive funds from the European budget in the years to come primarily for infrastructure and agriculture, the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Djelic is attending the World Economic Forum on Europe and Central Asia in Vienna, at the invitation of World Economic Forum Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab, which gathers over 500 representatives from politics, economy, academies and civil society from over 67 countries.
Speaking at the closing session of the Forum, Djelic noted that Europe must see reforms to the end and take a better stance towards its prospective members as partners, in order to remain successful.
Europe must complete its institutional reform, settle the issues in the Euro zone and take a better stance towards future members, such as Serbia, and partners, such as Ukraine, Central Asia and the Near East, Djelic observed.
The most important resource of any country are its people, and those who are ready to be mobile are especially important, he said, adding that the current task is to retain talents within their countries and encourage them to be productive there.
The World Economic Forum holds the conference on the eve of the adoption of the EU Strategy for the Danube region, whose objective is the improvement of communication systems, environmental protection and protection against natural risks and the strengthening of potential for socio-economic development.
The meeting in Vienna, which started on wednesday, is attended by presidents and prime ministers from Armenia, Austria, Georgia, Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Moldova, Montenegro, Slovenia, Tajikistan and Ukraine, as well as 24 ministers and more than 150 heads of major global companies, followed by 50 public figures from more than 30 countries.
Source balkans.com
