Serbian Prime Minister: We will be next to join European Union
Is Serbia ready for EU membership?
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- In 2012, the Serbian economy posted negative growth of 1.7%, according to Eurostat estimates
- Serbian Prime Minister Dacic said: European Union accession is not financial aid package
- Serbia's unemployment rate is at 25%, only Greece and Spain are higher in Europe
Ivica Dacic told CNN: "We would like Serbia to become a member of the European Union as quickly as possible."
Serbia is aiming to
become the third country from former Yugoslavia to join Europe's
political and economic union, following in the footsteps of Slovenia and
neighbor Croatia, who joined earlier this year.
But Dacic believes Serbia
does not have "a lot of time to wait" as its economy has suffered
"great consequences" following the breakup of former Yugoslavia in the
1990s.
"The rate of unemployment is the biggest problem," Dacic said, referring to Serbia's 25% unemployment rate, which sits below only Spain and Greece in the EU.
He added that "discussing
economic reforms in Serbia is futile" until industrial productivity
increases. Dacic also highlighted the importance of foreign investment
to country's economic prospects.
"These foreign
investments will not happen if Serbia is not a part of the modern
world," Dacic said. Serbia's economy contracted 1.7% in 2012, according to Eurostat estimates, due to its close ties with embattled eurozone nations.
Serbia, which has a
lower minimum wage than China, is also struggling to cope with an exodus
of skilled workers, as the country's young leave in search of work
abroad. The phenomenon has left the country heavily reliant on
remittance income.
EU membership is a
chance for Serbia to join the world's largest trading bloc and will
offer access to funding for infrastructure projects and the country's
poorer regions.
But Dacic said: "We
don't see the European Union accession as a straightforward financial
aid package, or that it would enable our citizens to work in other
countries across Europe."
Will Croatia benefit from the EU?
Despite Serbia's
ambitions, accession can be a slow process. Croatia only joined the EU
as its 28th member in July after talks to join officially opened in
2005.
Mixed views on Croatia's entry into EU
Croatia welcomes EU membership
Although the EU never
gives specific time frames on accession, Dacic is confident Serbia will
join Europe's exclusive club within the next 10 years.
Peter Stano, a spokesman
for European Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule, told CNN that the
speed of accession depends "solely" on Serbia.
He said: "Serbia has
already met the political and economic criteria needed to become
candidate status and to start the negotiations."
James Ker-Lindsay, a
Balkans expert and author of 'Kosovo: The Path to Contested Statehood in
the Balkans' estimates that the process will take eight to ten years.
He told CNN: "It might
well be the case that Montenegro, which has already started EU accession
talks, is going to be the next one to join... getting Montenegro ready
for membership is likely to be easier."
Serbia also faces
questions over Kosovo, after it declared independence in 2008. Serbia
does not recognize the declaration, and the European Union is trying to
encourage talks between the two sides.
Dacic said: "We have
always made it clear that we cannot and will not try to bring our
problems to the EU with us. This is another reason why we are conducting
this open dialogue in order to normalize the relationship and solve our
problems before accession."
Kosovo was plunged into
war in the late 1990s, pitting Kosovo Albanian insurgents against Serb
security forces and Belgrade-backed Kosovo Serb paramilitaries.
William Bartlett, author
of 'Europe's Troubled Region,' believes EU membership for Serbia will
help ease some of the political tensions with Kosovo.
He said: "By reducing
political tensions, you are reducing country risk for investors and that
will have a positive knock on effect for the economy."
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