Guaufret: Serbia at key crossroads for EU integration, civil society important

BELGRADE - The head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret said on Friday Serbia was at a key crossroads for EU integration and that civil society was extremely important on its path to joining the bloc.

At a meeting of an EU-Serbia consultative committee, Giaufret said civil society was a catalyst of democratic governance and rule of law.

He said there must be a consensus among Serbians when it comes to EU accession and that civil society was a key partner in preservation of EU values.

He said the enlargement process was back on the top of the EU's political agenda, giving Serbia an opportunity to accelerate its reforms and deepen its engagement with the EU.

He welcomed the planned stepping up of reforms in Serbia to complete by end-2026 all internal reforms necessary for EU accession.

He said this was an ambitious but feasible goal.

Giaufret noted that, in the context of positive developments in other enlargement countries, this was an opportunity not to be missed and that, more than ever, it was important for EU membership to become a strategic choice of Serbia.

The meeting was also attended by European Economic and Social Committee President Oliver Ropke and Serbian Minister for European Integration Tanja Miscevic.