Belgrade urged to embrace Brussels

Olli Rehn, the European Commissioner for Enlargement said on the 5 March 2007 that Serbia’s government should not ignore the desire of its people to join the European Union, urging Belgrade to reaffirm its commitment to eventual membership of the bloc.

The comments were made within the launch of a wider initiative to promote links between the EU and the western Balkans.

On 5 March 2008 the Europeam Commission adopted new initiatives, and enhanced existing ones, to help accelerate the progress of the Western Balkans on the road towards EU membership. The Commission proposals support the political and economic development in the Western Balkan countries; other measures aim to promote people-to-people contacts and familiarise the citizens in the Western Balkans with the EU.

European Commission: Press Release: IP/08/378: Western Balkans: enhancing the European perspective http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/378&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

European Commission: DG Enlargement: Western Balkans Communication - 5 March 2008 http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/balkans_communication/index_en.htm

Deutsche Welle, 5.3.08: EU Presses Serbia to Confirm Closer Ties with Bloc http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3171509,00.html

---