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EU membership "most important foreign policy goal" - Politics 6-8 minutes _____ PM Ana Brnabic said in Brussels that EU membership is the most important foreign policy goal and that Serbia remains focused on cooperation with the Union. Source: srbija.gov.rs Thursday, November 16, 2017 | 16:12 (Tanjug) At a joint press conference with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn, Brnabic emphasized that the Union is Serbia's most important trade partner and that everything that this government is doing in the process of EU integration represents the continuity of the previous government. The European Union and its members are absolutely the largest trading partner of Serbia, with 65 percent of share, she said, noting that since 2000, the EU and its members have supported Serbia in the amount of EUR 9 billion. Accession to the European Union and the reforms that are being carried out in this process are primarily in the interest of citizens, businessmen and investors, the Prime Minister pointed out and emphasized the importance of cooperation in the region. We want to have macroeconomic stability, fiscal consolidated and stable state, efficient and transparent public administration, efficient judiciary. We want to do it all because of us. Certainly, when we implement it, we will be ready to be a member of the European family of countries, Brnabic said. She stressed that Serbia will continue to work diligently on its reforms, and stressed that the focus of the previous government was on the economic reforms, and that now is the moment for our country to focus on reforms in the rule of law and the public administration. The prime minister stressed that our country is ready to open five chapters, expressing the expectation that three or four chapters will be opened in December. We try not to tie ourselves to numbers, but to stay focused on reforms and to where we are going as a society, she said, adding that Serbia is a partner of the EU, and that the whole region is at a positive moment for the European integration process. I think we have a momentum that should be shared together in the partnership in the next six to seven months. We need to give a clear message that the EU is in the interest of all of us, that it is a strategic priority for all of us, noting that strong regional cooperation, connectivity, stability and political dialogue are key, she said. According to Brnabic, Serbia was deeply and honestly committed to the dialogue with Pristina. She called on all participants in the socio-political life of Serbia to take part in the internal dialogue in the country on Kosovo. It is not a political issue or an issue of political trials. That is a national issue. All together in Serbia, we need to find a compromise in order to represent a unique position on this issue, said the Prime Minister. She sent a call to Pristina to continue working with Belgrade on the full implementation of the Brussels Agreement in order to form the Community of Serb Municipalities, and then continue the dialogue.
