Opening of the most important chapters by the end of the year

By the end of the year, in addition to chapters 23 and 24, which concern fundamental rights, Serbia should also open reform chapters in the negotiations with the EU, which will significantly contribute to the improvement of the public procurement sector, small and medium-sized entrepreneurship and industrial policy, said today the minister in charge of European integration, Jadranka Joksimović. Joksimović believes that chapters 5 and 20, which are very important for the improvement of the business environment, the implementation of public procurement, but also the fight against corruption, to be open by the end of the year, by which time chapters 25 and 26, which relate to science, research, education and culture, and which are important for research activity, youth and students, could be opened.In an interview with Tanjug, a month after the opening of the first chapters in the negotiations with the EU, the minister says that she believes that in 2016 Serbia will be enabled to open chapters for which be realistically ready, since all the political preconditions were met in the previous year.He reminds that after chapters 35 and 32, which were opened in December last year, the next in line are political chapters 23 and 24, which concern fundamental rights, and he expects that in a political and technical sense Serbia will be ready for their opening by the end of the first half of the year, i.e. during the Dutch presidency of the union.He explains that those two chapters important because they concern the broadest reform process, the rule of law, the fight against corruption, minority rights, judicial reform, the fight against terrorism."The opening of those chapters will show that we have stepped into the reform process and progressed in that segment enough to be able to open them. Then we will have clear and precise deadlines, measures and activities - from the adoption to the implementation of the law", stated Joksimović.She believes that it will be feasible, especially since the Netherlands, as the country holding the EU presidency, always interested in the issue of the rule of law, freedom of expression, and on her agenda for the six-month presidency, she particularly highlighted the migrant crisis, which is included in chapter 24.Although she states that Serbia faces many challenges because political and international circumstances, including the topic of the Western Balkans, always change and affect the integration process, Joksimović says that Serbia should not be less active because of this."It would be naive and politically "It is immature to say that politics does not affect European integration. It is a process that is part of the international environment, so the bilateral relations of different countries and the wider international context also affect our path", says Joksimović, but he points out that even in such circumstances, the state should work in its own interest and minimize possible damage. those impulses, it must show that it functions as ordered and efficient state.As an example of a big challenge that Serbia has successfully faced, he cites the migrant crisis."You always have to try to find what is good for you out of unfavorable circumstances or, if nothing else, not to create additional problems for yourself", says Joksimović.When asked if Serbia is still creating additional problems for itself on the European road through close cooperation with Russia, which the EU has imposed sanctions on, Joksimović answers that it certainly does not make it easier for us, since the issue is high on the agenda of challenges, but that Serbia leads an honest policy on this matter.Serbia's position is clear - the country is on the European path, but due to good political and economic relations with Russia, it does not want to introduce sanctions, although it recognizes the territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea.She reminds that even the EU itself does not have an absolutely consistent policy on relations with Russia, that the economies of certain countries suffer due to economic sanctions and that in this sense Serbia's policy she is not hypocritical. "With all the obligations that we will carry out as a candidate country, there is no reason for us to suffer any kind of slowdown or disruption of the process due to relations with Russia, and we are aware that until full membership we must be harmonized with the common European foreign and security policy", says Joksimović. 31 and adds that he does not believe that it will be a big problem for our country.However, as one of the most difficult chapters in terms of the technical aspect, the introduction of standards, time, work, but also money, Joksimović sees Chapter 27 - the environment."We have not done anything for years and we are really at the beginning of the whole process", says Joksimović.He emphasizes that in this sense the opening of the market is important, since the new investors and companies bring new technologies that include protection environment and thus facilitate the process of adaptation and preparation for the introduction of standards in that area.Chapter 11, which concerns agriculture, is also required, says the minister, and emphasizes that the negotiations with the EU in that area are a great chance for Serbia and Serbian farmers, but also that it is necessary to negotiate the best terms wisely and responsibly.She reminds that this year Serbia has finally opened the possibility of receiving grants for agriculture, which until 2020 to reach 175 million euros for various projects."Some countries, such as Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, made the most of those funds from the pre-accession funds and in the meantime became large producers and exporters. This is a chance for us and our agriculture", emphasizes Joksimović.She reminds that Serbia has about 200 million euros of grant aid for reforms in various areas every year from the IPA funds and that this money is being used well for now and emphasizes that important for citizens to know that the EU the absolute largest donor of grants.Source Tanjughttp://www.tanjug.rs/full-view.aspx?izb=224405