A Brave,
Historical Decision
Belgrade, December 22, 2009
The Helsinki Committee welcomes the Serbian
government's decision to apply for EU candidacy. The decision
irrevocably sets down the country's strategic orientation and European
option. After decades of wondering Serbia's political elite has finally
made a historical breakthrough that, at the same time, opens the door to
a break-up with the recent past. And this would mean that Serbia has
opted for a democratic transformation and modern European values: the
rule of law, elimination of corruption and organized crime, and a
different value system. The government's brave decision will be a test
of readiness of all political actors, institutions and the society as a
whole. A new political pattern calls for radical domestic changes.
Regardless of when the EU will give a green light to
Serbia, the very application for EU candidacy places the country into a
new political context, which all citizens of Serbia should respect and
act responsibly in the process that will surely be neither easy nor
ephemeral. No one should look forward just to financial gain and better
living standards but also be ready for self-denial and patience.
EU's and US' decision to integrate the Western Balkan
into Euro-Atlantic processes as soon as possible testifies of their
resolve to have the region stabilized and all existing tensions solved
through accession. |