2010 will be ‘key year’ for Western Balkans, EU Presidency says | 28th January
Spain, current holder of the rotating presidency of the European Union, says that it will do its utmost to make progress in integrating the Western Balkans into the bloc.
This emerged after a meeting on January 26 2010 between Spanish foreign minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos and his Serbian counterpart, Vuk Jeremic.
The meeting in Brussels was the first political dialogue between the EU and Serbia at ministerial level since the government in Belgrade formally applied in December 2009 for EU membership.
Current European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn also took part in the meeting which was chaired by Moratinos.
"We have discussed the constructive role Serbia can play in the Western Balkans and how we can work together in a practical way with regards to Kosovo," said Moratinos, who believes 2010 will be a key year for the future of the region.
Rehn highlighted the achievements made in 2009 in relation to Serbia, particularly the implementation of an interim trade agreement (December 7 2009), the formal application by Serbia to join the EU (December 22 2009) and the granting of financial aid to overcome the recession (the EU will grant a second tranche of 50 million euro to Serbia in 2010 in the form of budget support, in addition to a loan of 200 million euro).
Rehn said that the European Commission is prepared to assess Serbia's ability to fulfil the conditions for membership, a necessary step...
http://www.sofiaecho.com/2010/01/27/848427_2010-will-be-key-year-for-western-balkans-eu-presidency-says