Serbia must push on with reforms to join EU, says Germany's Scholz

Record ID: 1671373

  • Title: Serbia must push on with reforms to join EU, says Germany's Scholz
  • Date: 4th May 2022
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (MAY 4, 2022) (REUTERS) GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZ AND SERBIAN PRESIDENT ALEKSANDAR VUCIC ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE / SCHOLZ GREETING JOURNALISTS JOURNALISTS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, OLAF SCHOLZ, SAYING: “For Serbia on its way towards the European Union it is important that it continues its path of reforms and that includes the rule of law, media freedom, fighting organised crime and corruption." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, OLAF SCHOLZ, SAYING: “The accession perspective of Serbia but also of the other countries must be something that can work and the perspective must become reality. That’s our task in Europe and I personally want to ensure that this is a promise that can be counted on.” NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS VUCIC SPEAKING SEEN IN VIEWFINDER (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) SERBIAN PRESIDENT, ALEKSANDAR VUCIC, SAYING: (TRANSLATION PROVIDED BY GERMAN CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE) “I do not believe that only one side is to blame for the problems in Bosnia-Herzegovina. I discussed this in detail with the chancellor and what I promised Chancellor Scholz is that Serbia will under no circumstances be the source for any kind of problems. You know that if we make a promise, we keep our word. And as far as Western Europe is concerned, it will have peace and stability. ” SCHOLZ LOOKING ON (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) / SERBIAN PRESIDENT, ALEKSANDAR VUCIC, SAYING: (TRANSLATION PROVIDED BY GERMAN CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE) “We are already looking forward to the chancellor’s visit to Belgrade and I am here for the first time without Angela Merkel on this stage and so I would like to thank her again but also Chancellor Scholz for the openness and honesty in our discussions. Excuse me for speaking for so long.” MAN TAKING PICTURE OF NEWS CONFERENCE WITH MOBILE PHONE SCHOLZ / VUCIC AND SCHOLZ SHAKING HANDS
  • Embargoed: 18th May 2022 18:41
  • Keywords: Aleksandar Vucic Germany Serbia german chancellor olaf scholz scholz serbian president vucic
  • Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
  • City: BERLIN, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Europe,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001566904052022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Serbia must press ahead with reforms, including on media freedom and corruption, to realise its ambition of joining the European Union, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday (May 4), adding he wanted all Western Balkans countries to become members.
    “For Serbia on its way towards the European Union it is important that it continues its path of reforms and that includes the rule of law, media freedom, fighting organised crime and corruption," said Scholz at a joint news conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.
    The Serbian president told reporters he had promised Scholz that his country would not be “the source for any kind of problems” in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
    Bosnia has been going through its worst political crisis since the end of the Balkan wars of the 1990s, with Bosnian Serbs challenging state institutions as part of their long-time bid to secede and eventually join neighbouring Serbia.
    (Production: Oliver Barth, Michele Sani)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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