Macut: Connected region the best path to full EU membership

TIRANA - Serbian PM Djuro Macut told a summit of Western Balkan leaders in Tirana on Friday a connected, economically integrated region was the best path to the common objective of full EU membership.

"Once again, I would like to reiterate and confirm Serbia's firm commitment to advancement of regional cooperation in the Western Balkans. We believe a stable, connected and economically integrated region is the best path to our common objective - full EU membership," Macut said at a panel also attended by Western Balkan leaders and EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos.

Regional cooperation is not only a strategic commitment but also our daily need, Macut noted. "Through regional cooperation, we build more stable economies, more attractive markets and better living conditions for all our citizens. Serbia believes, and continuously stresses, that regional cooperation should focus on issues where there are coordinated or similar positions, such as the economy, transport, ties among chambers of commerce, mobility for young people and creating opportunities for their education and employment," Macut said.

Those areas are at the core of a common regional market, which should be viewed as the key driver of development of the entire region, he noted. "That is why we believe our primary focus should remain on connecting our economies with the aim of progress towards a single market," Macut said.

Macut: I insisted on opening Cluster 3 and remaining chapters in Serbia's EU talks

TIRANA - At a Tirana summit of Western Balkan leaders, Serbian PM Djuro Macut insisted on opening Cluster 3 and the remaining chapters in Serbia's EU accession talks, which has been stalled for more than three years.

"I think Serbia is on a good path, that we have delivered on a high percentage of elements for EU accession and that we are on a good path to meet by the end of the year some of the deadlines that have been set for us and to continue with new things next year," Macut told Tanjug.

He said the economy, transport and regional connectivity had been the main topics at the summit.

"We had an opportunity to also discuss topics already raised at the London summit - a free roaming zone in the Western Balkan region, which is extremely important," Macut said, adding that a new methodology to facilitate the work of truck drivers from the Western Balkans in the Schengen zone would be proposed to the European Commission with the UK as soon as possible.

He said Serbia's participation in the summit had been very "operational and constructive."

"Serbia has retained its strategic position and its attitude to this entire process in Europe and to the EU as a recognisably good partner in the entire process," Macut said.