Ierse minister in gesprek met Servische premier over toetreding tot EU (en)

The Minister for European Affairs, Lucinda Creighton TD, met the Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic today (Monday). The meeting was an opportunity to discuss the implementation of the April agreement on the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue.

Speaking after the meeting, Minister Creighton said: “I have had a very constructive meeting with the Prime Minister. Ireland is a strong supporter of EU enlargement and one of our Presidency priorities was to achieve progress for all the candidate and prospective candidate countries.”

“Ireland warmly welcomed the agreement reached in April on the normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo. Implementation of that agreement is now required and I am a pleased with the commitment the Serbian government and the Prime Minister has shown.”

“We know from our own experiences that it is sometimes necessary to take risks for peace but we also know that the end reward is worth the effort. I hope the same will be true for Serbia. The Irish Presidency will do whatever we can to achieve a date for the opening of accession negotiations at the June European Council meeting”

“The breakthrough in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue was truly historic and I am very proud this happened under the Irish Presidency. It is less than 20 years since much of the Balkans was at war and the fact that we are even discussing EU accession today demonstrates the amazing, transformative effect of EU enlargement policy.”

Minister Creighton will also meet Deputy Prime Minister for Defence, Aleksander Vucic, the President of the Parliament, Nebojsa Stefanovic and the Deputy Prime Minister for European Intergration, Susanna Grubjesic.

Tomorrow the Minister will travel to Pristina for meetings with the Kosovan administration.

ENDS