November 26, 2009

Austria and its parliament will extend any kind of help to Serbia on its course towards the EU, stated President of the Austrian House of Commons Barbara Prahmer. Serbia has managed to make the atmosphere to have the unfreezing of the Interim Trade Agreement within reach, although there are some countries in the EU that believe Serbia will have more than it deserves even with the visa liberalization. Jelena Simic prepares the Press Review.

In an interview for the POLITIKA daily, Barbara Prahmer said that Serbia is important not only for Austria, but also for the entire Europe. “It is normal that we are interested in Serbia, because, among other things, there is a big Serb community in Austria. In the upcoming period we will be working on the close and intensive cooperation between the two parliaments to transfer our experience in the EU”, added Prahmer. In view of the Stabilization and Association Agreement, she expects a positive report of the International Court of War Crimes in former Yugoslavia. Asked if Vienna would be among the first to ratify this agreement, should the European Council unblock it, Prahmer conveyed the statement of the Austrian Chancellor, saying that Serbia has made a big step forward and it will have the support of Austria.

“The most positive report of Chief Hague Prosecutor Serge Brammertz will fall onto fertile ground, and the unfreezing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement and its ratification will be the chance for Serbia to file the candidature for the membership in the EU by the end of this year”, the BLIC quotes a source from the Serbian Government. Serbian leaders are refraining from official statements and assessments on whether Holland, which is openly against the unfreezing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement and further progress of Serbia towards the EU, will give a green light. The announced visit of Dutch Foreign Minister Maxim Verhagen to Belgrade represent an additional reason to be optimistic about the EU summit on December 10, where the Stabilization and Association Agreement might be unblocked with a unanimous decision.

The Albanians from southern Serbia are among the last to have joined the process of forming the national minority councils. President of the Party of Democratic Action Riza Hallimi has told the POLITIKA that of key importance for the decision of Albanian parties to approach this work was the passing of the new law on the national minority councils, which gives them larger competences and defined scope of actions. Hallimi has emphasized that the elections for all national councils are forthcoming by the end of June, and added that the preparation of electoral lists is under way, as a prerequisite for the direct elections.

The subsidies to credits for the citizens and economy will be continued next year, with some billion euro, but with emphasis on the loans for investments, which have been neglected so far, reports the VECERNJE NOVOSTI. In mid-January favorable state-loans will be offered, in such a way that as many loans as possible are made with as little money as possible. It is possible because the banks will decrease their margins. “The economic crisis has hit the bottom, so the state stimulations for bank loans will be adapted to the expected economic recovery”, stated Minister of Economy Mladjan Dinkic.