By the end of 2027, Serbia is expected to receive a 1.58 billion euro incentive from the European Union, following the Serbian Parliament’s adoption of the Reform Agenda, which was approved by the European Commission earlier this week.
The Minister for European Integration, Tanja Miščević, EU Ambassador to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret, and the coordinator of the National Convention on the EU, Bojana Selaković, presented the Western Balkans Growth Plan and what this “ambitious agenda” entails to the media.
According to Minister Miščević, the process of European integration has not been halted, though Serbia has not opened any new chapters in the past three years.
“If the integration process were entirely stalled, we wouldn’t even be discussing judiciary reform or the Reform Agenda. Now is the time to open Cluster 3 so negotiations can resume, and we can prove that we have the capacity and knowledge to continue,” she explained.
Ambassador Giaufret outlined that 50 percent of the EU’s funds will be allocated to infrastructure projects, including cooperation with other Western Balkan countries, while the other 50 percent will go to the Serbian national budget.
Rule of law as the foundation for socioeconomic progress
The speakers agreed that without the rule of law, there is no socioeconomic progress. Therefore, a focal point for Serbia in the coming period will be the proposal of a law on a unified voter register, which is being developed in consultation with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
“This approach demonstrates our readiness to prioritize these issues, especially since EU membership is a key objective for the Serbian government, and within the EU, rule of law is always the foremost priority, as it should be,” Miščević added.
This will encompass fair and free elections, media freedom, progress in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, and other issues covered in Chapters 23 and 24.
As Miščević stated, the Reform Agenda covers the period up to the end of 2027. The first tranche, in the form of pre-financing, is expected to amount to 112 million euros, while a total of 1.58 billion euros will be available to Serbia, in the form of both grants and loans.
The Reform Agenda outlines seven measures that represent Serbia’s commitments, with full attention directed at these until the end of the year.
These measures extend beyond electoral conditions and voter registration issues to include the selection of REM council members, alignment with the Audiovisual Services Directive, further alignment of the visa regime, combating corruption, and advancing measures related to cybersecurity and 5G network security.
By the end of 2024, Serbia is expected to amend the Law on Electronic Media and the Law on Public Information and Media, adopt a new Law on Public Media Services, and pass an Action Plan for the Anti-Corruption Strategy. Additionally, Serbia will further align its visa regime with the EU’s by implementing changes for three countries whose citizens currently require visas to enter the EU.
What benefits will Serbian citizens gain from the Reform Agenda?
Giaufret noted that the goal is to accelerate reforms in Serbia, as well as in other Western Balkan countries, ensuring economic growth and reducing the economic gap between the EU and the region.
If Serbia gains access to the European Union’s single market, it will enhance business operations and the quality of life for citizens on multiple levels.
“I’ll give you just one example. If you want to send 200 euros from Germany to Serbia, you currently have to pay a fee of about 27 euros. If Serbia were part of the single market, this fee would be only two euros. Furthermore, we aim to reduce border waiting times for trucks, which is a significant cost for both European and Serbian companies today. The goal is for citizens to experience the direct benefits of EU membership even before formally joining the EU.”
(EUpravozato, 25.10.2024)
https://eupravozato.mondo.rs/politika-prosirenja/evropa-i-zapadni-balkan/a3987/reformska-agenda-srbija-dobija-1-58-milijardi-evra-od-eu.html
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Publish date : 2024-10-25 02:28:00
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