Slovakia has always stood on the side of its Slav brothers in Serbia, both in terms of not acknowledging Kosovo independence and also in the country’s accession ambitions to join the EU.
Yesterday’s decision of the EU General Affairs Council to forward Serbia’s EU accession application to the European Commission was therefore pleasing news for Slovak foreign affairs minister, Mikulas Dzurinda. Serbia itself has been waiting on the Council’s decision since lodging an official request in December 2009.
Speaking from Luxembourg yesterday, Dzurinda said he welcomed the fact that Serbia’s integration aspirations had been advanced, but he also criticised the ‘tone’ of the formulations contained in the Council’s conclusions. He told the press that “Serbia deserves different kinds of formulations and encouragement”.
Serbia will now have to wait to see if the European Commission regards the country as ripe for it to give the green light for the start of accession negotiations.