Deputy Prime Minister for EU integration Bozidar Djelic stated yesterday that 96% of the National Programme for Serbia’s EU Integration was fulfilled from July to September 2009.

Speaking at a press conference at which the regular quarterly report on the implementation of the programme was presented, Djelic said that this percentage will surely be well evaluated in the European Commission’s report on Serbia’s progress on the road to EU integration.

Since the implementation of the National Programme began last July, 81% of the programme has been fulfilled, he said, noting that the efforts that were made to adopt the necessary laws will be continued in the next period, despite reductions in the number of employees and problems with the budget.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that a technical commission of the European Union has arrived in Belgrade and will evaluate Serbia’s report on the fulfilment of criteria from the road map for visa liberalisation that was sent to the commission in late September and presented to the commission’s Vice President Jacques Barrot during his visit to Belgrade.

Djelic announced a meeting with representatives of the technical mission on October 16 and expressed his belief that they will agree that the report is valid and that all terms for the Schengen white list have been met.

He stressed that last year, when Serbia adopted this programme, it sent a clear message to its citizens, as well as its EU partners, that it has a plan on how to harmonise its legislature with that of the EU before 2012.

Djelic underlined that Serbia is doing everything to make sure it is ready for EU entry by 2012, but added that this does not necessarily mean it will join the EU then.

Serbia is the only non-candidate country that has already prepared the National Integration Programme, which shows the strength of its administrative capacity, he noted.

Djelic also said that the National Programme is a strong argument for Serbia’s numerous allies who wish to close the gap between Serbia’s formal status, that is, the fact that the Stabilisation and Association Agreement has been signed but not implemented, and its true capacity.

Experts will tell you that Serbia could begin EU entry talks tomorrow, but also that it is not yet ready to become an EU member. The National Integration Programme is concrete proof that we are doing all we can to prepare our administration for accession before 2012.

As for the citizens’ support of the integration process, Djelic stressed that there is a broad and stable consensus on this matter.

Director of the EU Integration Office Milica Delevic explained that 96% of the plan has been fulfilled, since 76 out of 81 necessary laws have been adopted.

She recalled that according to data from the EU Integration Office’s report from November 2008, which concerns the implementation of the National Integration Programme, only 26% of obligations were fulfilled, because parliament had reduced its activities due to the elections.

The report for the period July–September 2009 says that the Serbian government adopted eight out of ten planned strategies and decrees, while the ministries passed 50 out of 58 planned regulations.

Having adopted nine out of the projected 13 bills, the government fulfilled 69% of its plans, and when it comes to bylaws, its efficiency stands at 83%.

Delevic noted that the percentage would have been larger if the laws under the jurisdiction of the Ministries of Finance, Justice, Agriculture and Energy had been adopted.