Agreement opens door for Serbia EU membership
30.04.2008
The EU and Serbia signed an agreement Tuesday night that should set the country on the road to EU membership, reports the Independent.
The paper says the deal is part of a bid to undermine ultra-nationalists in the legislative elections in the country on 11 May.
The IHT says that EU ministers managed to overcome their divisions over Serbia’s track record on hunting down war criminals, a major stumbling block in Serbia’s EU bid.
But the Times says that the agreement, called a stabilisation and association agreement, is unlikely to come into force until Serbia cooperates with the war crimes tribunal in the Hague, which is demanding the arrest of key fugitives.
Deutsche Welle says that EU states will not ratify the pact, nor will Serbia get any trade or other benefits until this cooperation is seen.
The paper says the deal is part of a bid to undermine ultra-nationalists in the legislative elections in the country on 11 May.
The IHT says that EU ministers managed to overcome their divisions over Serbia’s track record on hunting down war criminals, a major stumbling block in Serbia’s EU bid.
But the Times says that the agreement, called a stabilisation and association agreement, is unlikely to come into force until Serbia cooperates with the war crimes tribunal in the Hague, which is demanding the arrest of key fugitives.
Deutsche Welle says that EU states will not ratify the pact, nor will Serbia get any trade or other benefits until this cooperation is seen.
