Starovic with Giaufret: Serbia committed to reforms and the European path

Serbia’s Minister for European Integration, Nemanja Starovic, spoke today with the Deputy Director-General for Europe at the European External Action Service, Emanuele Giaufret, about Serbia’s progress in reforms, the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, as well as the work of the newly established Operational Team for accession to the European Union.

“The Government of Serbia is fully committed to implementing reforms that will bring concrete benefits to citizens, through strengthening institutions and the rule of law, as well as improving the economic standard of living,” Starovic said.

In that context, the minister assessed that Serbia is working diligently to meet the steps set out in the Reform Agenda and added that Serbia’s Reform Agenda within the European Union’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans is the main instrument for the region’s economic convergence with the EU Single Market, while ensuring tangible benefits for citizens even before membership, the Ministry of European Integration said in a statement.

Starovic also informed Giaufret about the work of the newly established Operational Team for Serbia’s European path.

“The task of the Operational Team is to inform our public in a more intensive and substantive manner about the benefits we have had so far, stemming from the very fact that there is progress on the path toward EU membership, as well as about what awaits us at the end of that path,” the minister said.

He added that the Operational Team was formed with the idea of efficiently linking political decision-making, technical implementation, and diplomatic communication.

Minister Starovic also pointed out that the Government last week adopted the Draft Law on Cohesion, proposed by the Ministry of European Integration.

“This law represents a strategic step forward toward EU cohesion policy and another confirmation that Serbia is preparing to be a credible and successful EU member,” Starovic said.

According to him, the essence of the legislative proposal is the building of administrative capacities.

“So that from the very day of membership, Serbia would be able to draw funds from EU cohesion funds with a high degree of efficiency, and so that it would not find itself in a situation where, like some other countries in the first years of their membership, it draws only a small portion of the available funds,” the minister said.

The implementation of cohesion policy, as emphasized, will ensure that resources and investments are directed toward less developed areas, with priorities including infrastructure, support for small and medium-sized enterprises, investment in research and development, improved access to education and healthcare, and the creation of greater employment opportunities.