European Integration Committee Chairman Aleksandar Senic informed the French parliamentarians that the National Assembly has reached a consensus regarding Serbia’s EU accession i.e. that all the parties endorse the pro-European policy. He stressed that, at the moment, Serbia has completed the screening process and is now expecting the European Commission’s opinion, and by the end of the year the beginning of negotiations. He asked the French parliamentarians to support the opening of negotiation chapters for Serbia, stressing that the public support for Serbia’s EU accession is lagging because the citizens keep getting the impression that the country is being conditioned in some way. He opined that this is not a drop in support but an oscillation caused by the delay in the opening of negotiations. This fact is used by Euro-sceptics to persuade the citizens that the road to the European Union is to Serbia’s detriment. What Serbia needs is to open the negotiations and send a clear signal that the European Union wants Serbia as a member, because conditioning can cause political instability by having Euro-sceptic parties in the Parliament which would prevent the adoption of pro-European laws by consensus as is the case right now, stressed Senic. He also added that 70% of Serbian citizens endorse the reforms in the country, and the European Integration Committee members strive to equate the EU accession with the reform process and make the benefits of Serbia’s EU accession more understandable to the citizens. The Committee also accepted the Government’s policy of focusing on reconciliation between the people in the region, evidenced in the intensive regional cooperation with their counterparts in the regional parliaments.

The Head of the French National Assembly’s France-Serbia Parliamentary Friendship Group Martine Carrillon-Couvreur opined that France understands the specificities of the moment of Serbia’s EU accession, stressing that all the countries of the Union have similar difficulties because there are Euro-sceptics everywhere. She stressed that what is important is for Serbia to maintain the balance between popular support of the reforms and EU membership. She reaffirmed that France supports Serbia and believes that it should be given the opportunity to open negotiations, adding that her country would repeat its stance in the European Union and give Serbia the support it expects.

Speaking to the French parliamentarians, European Integration Committee member Gordana Comic touched on the issue of migrants saying that Serbia has harmonised its legislation in the field, but there is some concern about certain comments coming from some EU member states on the issue. Serbia would like to hear a “stronger voice of reason” from the EU when it comes to migrant strategy. The EU countries, as well as transit countries, face a big problem, and Serbia can be a good partner to the EU in its resolution, said Comic.

Besides Chairman Aleksandar Senic, the delegation of the European Integration Committee also comprised Committee members Dusica Stojkovic, Gordana Comic, Ljubisa Stojmirovic and Dragan Polovina, and the delegation of the French National Assembly’s France-Serbia Parliamentary Friendship Group, in addition to Martine Carrillon-Couvreur, also comprised PFG deputy heads Jean-Pierre Dufau, Philippe Meunier and PFG member Michel Voisin.