European Movement
Press release

Belgrade, June 17, 2004

Regarding Election of New Members of The Council for European Integration

To create sustainable consensus on key questions for European future of our society by involving relevant representatives of public life in the functioning of the Council for European Integration.

European Movement in Serbia welcomes the decision of the Government of Republic of Serbia to elect new members of the Council for the European Integration. Simultaneously, we appeal for the Government’s resolution to include representatives of academic community, non-governmental organization, syndicates, unions of employers, local governments, religious communities, and professional corporations.

The opinion of European Movement assumes that only enlarged membership of the Council for European Integration can adequately provide continuous formulation of attitudes and interests of Republic Serbia in the approaching process of European integration as well as generate sustainable social consensus on key questions for European future of our society.

By involving relevant representatives of public life in the functioning of the Council for European Integration, regional dimension of national debate on the EU would be emphasized, too. In that way, legitimacy would be reinforced and accordingly negotiating position of delegation from Republic of Serbia in further negotiations with the EU.

By organizing debates related to the Council for European Integration and accompanying the debates with media representatives, the publics would handle information about the progress of Republic of Serbia on its road toward European integration, about the institutions of the EU and about common EU policies toward our country. It would improve transparency of this process in Republic of Serbia and its further acceleration.

Danijel Pantic, MA
Secretary General

European Movement in Serbia