Kos: Serbia has much to offer to Europe - work with us on reforms

BELGRADE - Serbia has much to offer to Europe, and Europe looks forward to that, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said on Tuesday in Belgrade after meeting with Serbian PM Djuro Macut.

At a press conference with Macut, Kos said she had called for joint work on reforms to make Serbia's EU membership possible.

We now have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to complete the unification of Europe, and it is not just about enlargement, she said.

Many candidate countries have realised that reforms need to be carried out more quickly than has been the case until now, Kos noted, adding that she would like to see the same in Serbia, a country of rich history, tradition and very hard-working and innovative people.

She said an offer to the Serbian people had been presented to Macut at the meeting.

"It is as follows: Work with us on reforms to make your membership possible," he said, urging Serbia to work with the EU on establishing an independent judiciary capable of fighting corruption efficiently, on law enforcement and on establishing institutions that would ensure free media where all opinions would be represented, as well as on establishing an electoral framework that would ensure the will of the Serbian people was heard.

Kos said Serbia would not be able to make progress without such changes.

She said the requests were, in fact, very close to what protesters in Serbian streets were requesting.

Kos said the meeting with Macut had also addressed Europe's place in a changing world, as well as cooperation between the European Commission and the new Serbian government.

She said Europe faced new security challenges and changes in trade and that European unity was the best solution, and that the EU's neighbours and candidate countries were very important in that regard.