Former EU commissioner writes to Serbian president

Former EU commissioner writes to Serbian president

BRUSSELS -- Former EU Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule has said that "ambitious economic objectives of the Serbian government are encouraging."

He at the same time indicated that "the road to the EU will continue to be a challenging process for the country."

In a letter to Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić, Fule thanked the president for supporting the European perspective for the country and pointed out that the support meant that Serbia was ready to boldly continue on the road to the EU despite all challenges.

Fule warns of grave economic challenges ahead for Serbia, which will require courage and determination from both the political leadership and the citizens, but says that he is encouraged by the ambitious economic goals that the Serbian government set out for itself.

Over the previous five years, Fule said, the European Commission had strengthened the credibility of the enlargement policy and had improved its ability to adapt by focusing more on the implementation of fundamental reforms in the early stages of the enlargement process.

Fule said he was "confident that Serbia would be able to respond to key challenges and continue to play a leading role in the Western Balkans."

The European Commission will continue to be a strong and reliable partner to Serbia on its road to the EU, Fule said in his letter to Nikolić.