Serbia to apply for EU membership
Serbia’s foreign minister says his country plans to submit its application for EU membership by year’s end.
Vuk Jeremic says EU member states that oppose his nation’s entry aspirations should “move forward” and allow Serbia to start membership talks. The foreign minister told European Parliament lawmakers and EU officials Thursday that every citizen in the Balkans has the right to the benefits of EU membership.
Serbia’s bid to join the bloc is being held up by the Netherlands, which is demanding that Serbia first arrest Ratko Mladic, an indicted Bosnian Serb war criminal, for trial at a U.N. tribunal.
Catching Mladic priority, PM
Serbia’s prime minister has told a U.N. war crimes prosecutor that capturing fugitive Ratko Mladic is a priority for his government.
Mirko Cvetkovic also says that Serbia is “fully committed” and “searching continuously” for former Bosnian Serb military commander wanted on genocide charges by the court in The Hague, Netherlands.
The tribunal’s chief prosecutor for former Yugoslavia Serge Brammertz is reviewing Serbia’s efforts to arrest Mladic. His assessment is important for Belgrade’s bid to join the European Union.
The Netherlands has blocked Serbia’s road toward EU until Mladic faces justice. He was charged for the 1995 massacre of more than 7,000 Muslims from Srebrenica and other crimes.
Serbia ready to arrest Mladic
Serb authorities would detain suspected war criminal Ratko Mladic if they knew where he was, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic assured European parliamentarians Thursday.
“We are in the process of searching every square millimeter of our national territory,” to find Mladic and other Serb war criminals, Jeremic told the European parliament’s foreign affairs committee in Brussels.
“If we knew where he was, he would not be at liberty, I can guarantee that,” he assured.
Mladic, 67, the former commander of the Bosnian Serb armed forces, has been on the run since being indicted by the Yugoslav war crimes court, or ICTY, in 1995.
He is alleged to be behind the 44-month siege of Sarajevo that left 10,000 people dead and the July 1995 massacre of around 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica.
Jeremic’s comments came as Serge Brammertz, the chief prosecutor of the United Nations’ ICTY, visited Belgrade on a two-day assessment visit.
The court has called for the arrest of Mladic and former Croatian Serb leader Goran Hadzic, 51, who is wanted for the murder of hundreds of people and the deportation of tens of thousands of Croat and non-Serb civilians during the 1991-1995 Croatian war.
Mladic remains at the head of the wanted list, and his arrest would certainly help Serbia’s ambition of moving towards the European Union.
Currently the Netherlands refuses to agree on a key EU-Serbia rapprochement accord while Mladic remains at large.
The agreement requires unanimous support from the 27 EU nations.
November 05, 2009
Associated Press | AFP
hope they never find him =)…..no Mladic no EU…better for us…not until the kosovo question is done..no EU before that.
These guys just dont rest with this gargabe…” Serbia has to join the E.U”….”If we dont join the E.U we will parish” ?!?!
The FRY was attacked people killed part of serbia occupied and yet some Serbs want to collaborate with the aggressors,what the hell is the matter with these people?
Serbia was told not to apply and yet Vuk is saying they will. Why?
Netherlands have said don’t apply before you comply fully so this talk of applying is rubbish. The government is scared that they will lose the next election so they have to look like they have a shot at getting into EU and only with them in government.
Are Serbs that stupid?
NATZO attacked the FRY killed many Serbs occupy part of Serbia,yet some Serbs collaborate with those criminals,What the Hell is wrong wiyh these people?
guy from Sweden not only “no Mladic no EU” but also not entering NATO “no EU” and not recognizing Kosovo and not having friendly relations with all neighbors “no EU” also!
after all if Serbia fulfills all conditions Germany will find something else not to let EVER Serbia in EU!
anyways NEW EU confederation will be created in future based on Franco-German core without many East European countries specially from South East of Europe