Minister for European Integration: We View Brussels’ Criticism as Reform Guidelines
Serbia is seriously analyzing the content of the European Commission’s report on our country – much of what is stated we are already implementing, reforms are underway, and we remain firmly committed to the reform agenda, said Minister for European Integration Nemanja Starovic.
The latest European Commission report on the rule of law in Serbia contains a number of criticisms related to the independence of regulatory bodies, political pressure on the judiciary, the fight against corruption, and the transparency of public procurement.
"This is a relatively new mechanism primarily used by the European Union to assess member states, and since last year, some candidate countries, including Serbia, have also been included," Starovic explained.
He added that although candidate countries do not receive formal recommendations through this report, the content related to Serbia is taken seriously and analyzed within the framework of ongoing reform processes.
The European Commission expressed concern over the insufficiently effective fight against high-level corruption, particularly highlighting the rarity of investigations and convictions, as well as the low rate of asset seizures. In response, Starovic stated that state institutions have already launched a comprehensive action in that area.
Foto: Milena Đorđević
"Since the beginning of the year, we have seen tangible results – numerous investigations, arrests, and proceedings. The legal framework is solid, but greater efficiency and coordination among competent bodies are needed," said the Minister for European Integration.
He emphasized the importance of strengthening a “culture of integrity,” which, in his words, begins at home and in schools.
Public Procurement Under Special Scrutiny
Criticism was also directed at the public procurement system, particularly regarding exemptions in major infrastructure projects carried out through intergovernmental agreements.
"The Law on Public Procurement is strict and systemically well-designed. However, exemptions exist in the case of agreements with foreign countries, which is not unique to Serbia. Without these arrangements, it would be difficult to maintain our current pace of infrastructure development," said Starovic, citing examples of cooperation with China.
Pressure on the Judiciary
The European Commission specifically pointed out political pressure on the judiciary and inadequate responses from the High Judicial Council to public statements made by state officials. Starovic recalled that Serbia has already implemented significant constitutional changes aimed at increasing the independence of judicial institutions.
Foto: Milena Đorđević
"In January 2022, through a referendum, we amended the Constitution to further distance the judiciary from the influence of the executive and legislative branches. The implementation of these changes is ongoing and represents an important step in aligning with European standards," he stated.
A Useful Message from Brussels
Starovic concluded that the European Commission’s report should be viewed within the broader context of the EU’s internal situation. He noted that serious issues regarding the rule of law and public perception of the judiciary also exist within member states, showing that these challenges are universal.
"The Eurobarometer shows that 69 percent of EU citizens believe corruption is widespread in their countries. That’s why we interpret reports like this as guidelines, not solely as criticism," Starovic concluded.
Emisija kolažnog tipa koju čine prilozi naših dopisnika sa zanimljivim pričama iz čitave Srbije, ali i regiona Balkana. Teme nisu vezane za dnevne događaje već obrađuju zanimljive priče iz ugla običnog, malog čoveka, koje su karakteristične za različite krajeve.
specijal
17:30
STAV REGIONA SARAJEVO
„Stav regiona – Sarajevo“, prostor u kom se otvaraju ključna pitanja koja oblikuju Bosnu i Hercegovinu i region. Kompleksne analize sa stručnim gostima i jasnim stavovima o političkoj dinamici, društvenim debatama i regionalnim izazovima.
specijal
18:00
INFORMATIVNA EMISIJA-PRESEK 3
Newsmax se bavi temama, a ne pukim prenošenjem informacija. Informišemo, ali želimo i da objasnimo, analiziramo, istražimo. Osvrnućemo se na izazove i prilike s kojima se suočavamo, analizirajući kako se aktuelna dešavanja reflektuju na naš svakodnevni život. Kroz razgovore sa stručnjacima i akterima iz različitih oblasti, pružićemo dublji uvid u važne teme koje se tiču politike, ekonomije, obrazovanja i društvene pravde. Pridružite nam se u ovoj analizi i saznajte više o pitanjima koja su važna za sve nas.
vesti
19:00
STAV DANA
Newsmax ne prenosi samo vesti – analiziramo, istražujemo i objašnjavamo kako aktuelna dešavanja utiču na naš život. Pridružite nam se!
specijal
19:30
STAV REGIONA PODGORICA
„Stav regiona – Podgorica“ o ključnim političkim, društvenim i ekonomskim pitanjima. Aktuelne teme, kompleksne analize i stručni komentari. Odgovore koji zanimaju Crnu Goru i region tražimo od relevantnih gostiju.
specijal
20:00
NEWSMAX USA-TOP STORY
Prikazuje karusel dnevnih objava i najnovijih vesti, sagledanih iz svih uglova. Spoj popularnih priča i najvažnijih vesti koje ostaju vidiljive danima, često inspirisana glavnim događajem dana ili nedelje.
Srednjoškolci iz Srbije briljirali su na prvoj Međunarodnoj olimpijadi iz sajber bezbednosti održanoj u Singapuru. U konkurenciji više od 130 takmičara iz sveta osvojili su dve zlatne i dve bronzane medalje. Jednu od zlatnih medalja poneo je đak treće godine Tehničke škole u Čačku Jovan Jovanović.
Policija i BIA, po nalogu Višeg javnog tužilaštva u Smederevu, uhapsili su 11 osoba sa područja Velike Plane i Beograda zbog sumnje da su učestvovali u organizovanoj grupi koja je na teritoriji Francuske i Nemačke širila rasnu i versku mržnju, te počinila niz krivičnih dela.
Oko 5.20 časova, na državnom putu između Pančeva i Banatskog Novog Sela dogodila se teška saobraćajna nesreća u kojoj je jedna osoba izgubila život, a druga zadobila teške telesne povrede.
With revenues surpassing 2.2 billion euros this year and ambitious plans for expansion into the U.S. and Eastern European markets, Telekom Srbija is reaffirming its position as one of the most dynamic telecommunications operators in the region.
The Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS) submitted a new request to the U.S. Department of the Treasury on September 28th for the issuance of a special license that would delay the full implementation of sanctions and allow the company to continue its operational activities without interruption.
The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, appeared as a guest on the American television network Newsmax, where he spoke about the most important issues for Serbia and international cooperation, primarily with the United States.
The meeting of the Central European Initiative is of exceptional importance, particularly with regard to the modernization of rail transport between Trieste and Belgrade and the railway border crossing between Serbia and Croatia, said Marko Cadez, President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met in New York with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with whom he discussed, among other topics, a potential free trade agreement between Serbia and Israel.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated that the United States has postponed sanctions on the Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS) for only four more days and that they will be imposed starting October 1.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Djuric stated from the United Nations headquarters that Serbia conveyed the message that it is a strong, free and stable country – one that is part of the solution when it comes to regional challenges but also a country that stands by its principles on global issues
Minister of Health Zlatibor Loncar met in Minsk with the Minister of Health of Belarus, Aleksandr Khodzhayev, to discuss possible cooperation between the two countries in the field of organ transplantation.
Komentari (0)