Italy strongly supports Serbia's EU integration

Belgrade, 29 April 2010 (Serbia Today) – Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration and Minister of Science and Technological Development Bozidar Djelic said yesterday that Italy strongly supports Serbia's European integration and that Italy’s support will be of great importance when Serbia’s EU application is considered. Djelic, after talks with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, said that they discussed the forthcoming conference in Sarajevo, to be held on 2 June, as well as bringing the Western Balkans closer to membership of the EU. He stated that Serbia will present its plan of development, agenda 2020, and will encourage other countries in the region to do the same. Speaking on scientific and technological cooperation, the Minister of Science and Technology has announced that from September the Embassy of Italy in Serbia will obtain advisers on issues of science, who will upgrade bilateral relations to a higher level. Frattini stressed that Serbia’s submission of candidacy for EU membership to the European Commission by the end of Spain's EU presidency is a priority for Italy. The second priority for Italy would be for other member states of the Union to give the green light for the start of the ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia, he said. The role of Serbia is to contribute to regional stability, the stability of countries such as Bosnia-Herzegovina, and to cooperate in the fight against organized crime, said the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Frattini has welcomed Serbia's intention to present its agenda 2020 at the conference in Sarajevo. The meeting’s goal will be that Western Balkan countries present concrete projects for investment, he said. It is important that countries that still have doubts about the membership of the Western Balkans in the EU are shown that these candidacy countries not only ask for money, but offer new opportunities and projects for investment, he concluded.