BELGRADE, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic reaffirmed his country's commitment to European integration on Tuesday, as European Council President Antonio Costa visited Belgrade and called on Serbia to seize the opportunity to advance on its European path.
At a joint press conference following their meeting, Vucic said that Serbia's place is in Europe, describing it as the country's path and goal, which he has never questioned.
Vucic noted that he and Costa discussed all key issues during the meeting, including the necessity of dialogue with Kosovo and the preservation of regional peace and stability. He added that Costa's visit brought goodwill and a constructive tone to the discussions on Serbia's European Union (EU) accession.
Costa stressed that the current climate within the EU presents a "clear opportunity" for Serbia to progress on its European path.
He described the accession process as both trust-building and merit-based and outlined the key reforms Serbia needs to undertake in order to open Cluster 3, one of the EU's accession negotiating clusters focused on education, science, culture, and information.
Vucic expressed confidence that Cluster 3 would be opened by October. He said he hoped that a change in atmosphere might allow it to happen as early as June. However, he cautioned that he did not want to make promises about outcomes that depend on factors beyond Serbia's control. He reiterated that Serbia remains firmly on its European path and is committed to accelerating its reform process.
Serbia has been a candidate for EU membership since 2012 and began accession talks in 2014. ■
