The agenda of the visit includes her meetings with Serbian President Boris Tadic, Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic, and Minister of Finance Mirko Cvetkovic.

She will discuss prospects for further cooperation with the EU through the new Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA), which will help to enhance Serbia’s European perspective.

Speaking in advance of her visit, Commissioner Hübner said: “Serbia is central for regional stability and good neighbourly relations in the Balkans. Serbia has the potential to be the engine of the region and the EU is ready to accelerate its EU course – including candidate country status. But for this Serbia needs to reaffirm its European choice and meet the conditions. The EU can set the road sign, but it is up to Serbia to decide the direction."

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Contrary to two other Western Balkan states - Croatia and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - as well as Turkey, Serbia currently is not a candidate country for EU accession. In November last year EU and Serbia initialed a Stabilization and Association Agreement paving the way to Serbia’s possible membership in the EU.

On 4 April, Serbia signed a financial agreement on an IPA programme with the European Commission. A total of €165 million will be distributed for use in 37 projects.

Today Slovenia is the only Western Balkan country which joined the EU. >>> more