EU statement delivered by H.E. Ambassador Stanislav Raščan
The European Union congratulates Serbia on the orderly conduct of the parliamentary elections on 11 May and the preliminary assessment by the International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) which indicates that, overall, the elections were conducted in line with Serbia's international commitments for democratic elections. The IEOM has concluded that the elections were professionally conducted, vigorously contested, pluralistic, open and covered extensively by a broadly neutral media.
The EU shares the IEOM's concern that aspects of the campaign environment, notably threats against the lives of leading politicians went beyond acceptable limits.
The EU welcomes the fact that, once again, a large proportion of Serb voters have expressed their clear support for a democratic and European course for their country. The EU hopes that a new coalition government will be formed quickly and that it will be committed to a democratic and European course for Serbia.
The EU takes this opportunity to reiterate its commitment to the European perspective of Serbia. The signature of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) and of the Interim Agreement with Serbia last month was an important step on the country's path towards the EU. The EU looks forward to intensifying co-operation with the new government of Serbia through the comprehensive framework offered by these agreements and the other mechanisms of the Stabilisation and Association Process. The EU reiterates that full co-operation with the ICTY, including all possible efforts to arrest and transfer indictees, is an essential element of these Agreements and a precondition for them to take effect.
Finally, the EU welcomes the launch of the dialogue on visa liberalisation and, to this end, looks forward to discussing roadmaps for Serbia as well as for all the countries in the Western Balkans.
The candidate countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate countries Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Armenia align themselves with this statement.
* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process
