Foreign Minister Stavros Dimas represented Greece today at the EU General Affairs Council. The main subjects on the agenda included Serbia’s EU accession course and receipt of candidate-country status, and preparations for the upcoming European Council on 1 and 2 March.
In his statement on Serbia, Mr. Dimas underscored that the time has come for candidate-country status to be given to the country, noting the progress Serbia has made in all sectors on meeting the criteria set by the European Union. He also stressed that the Serbian people are an intrinsic part of the European family, and that a decision to give the country candidate status and start accession negotiations soon will contribute decisively to stability and the strengthening of peace in the Balkans.
Having confirmed the progress Serbia has made toward satisfying the criteria, the Council proposed that candidate-country status be conferred on Serbia, looking forward to this decision’s being taken by the European Council on Thursday.
During the discussion on preparations for the European Council, Mr. Dimas stressed the urgent need for measures aimed at immediate development results, in parallel with meeting the goals for fiscal adaptation and macroeconomic cooperation. In light of the unfavourable projections for growth in Europe in 2012, Mr. Dimas stressed the importance of adopting policies that will bolster employment and deal with unemployment. He also noted the emphasis that needs to be put on remedying the structural weaknesses in the eurozone through prompt adoption of relevant regulations on the European level.
The Greek delegation met with the Kosovo delegation on the margins of the Council. At the meeting, Foreign Minister Dimas expressed Greece’s satisfaction at the recent agreements reached within the framework of the Belgrade-Pristina talks and stressed the need for the dialogue between the two sides to continue. He also underscored the ongoing efforts and initiatives Greece has undertaken to promote the European perspective of the Western Balkan region and the priority Greece gives to economic development and improved standards of living for all the region’s residents.
February 28, 2012