The recognition of Kosovo is not a precondition for EU

Nikolic and Vucic come to the meeting with Fule at the request of the President of the Serbian Progressive Party.

European Enlargement Commissioner, Stefan Fule, after the meeting with Nikolic said that the well-known opinion of the European Commission of recognition of Kosovo was not a formal requirement for the process of European integration of Serbia.

Fule emphasized that political and economic terms, the so-called Copenhagen criteria of the EU, and compliance with the conditions in the Stabilization and Association Process were essential for qualitative and objective evaluation of the merit of Serbia for the receiving candidate status for membership. ”Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal ( ICTY) and regional cooperation in which all are included are key elements of Stabilization and Association Process, and when it comes to cooperation with The Hague Tribunal Serbia has achieved significant results, "said Fule in the  statement issued  after  meeting with Nikolic.

"The regional cooperation  welcomes active participation of Serbia and of vital importance is that now a renewed dialogue between Belgrade-Pristina brings new results that will  improve people's lives, reinforce peace, security and stability in the region," said the Commissioner.

In his statement Fule pointed out that he discussed with Nikolic his concerns about the request of Serbia to obtain candidate status for EU membership this year and whether the recognition of Kosovo's pre-condition for Serbia's European integration.

"I encouraged Nikolic and his party as well as all Serbian political actors to further improving the European aspirations of Serbia, to act constructively and responsibly in the upcoming period," said Fule.

The European Commissioner added that the meeting with the president and deputy president of Serbian Progressive Party, Tomislav Nikolic and Aleksandar Vucic, held as part of his regular meetings with representatives from the opposition parties of the countries in the Process of Enlargement and of the European Union Neighborhood Policy.