Interview: Professor Predrag Simic, former Serbian Ambassador in Paris
Which country might block us, because of bilateral problems?
It is questionable if our neighbors, EU members, will condition us; whether the Croats will open the question of Sarengradska ada and border on Danube. Hungaria can initiate the issue of minority, as well the Romania, totally unexpectedly, opened the issue of Vlach minority and tried to block us, right before decision on granting the status of candidate. I also expect that Bulgaria will raise the issue of protection of its minority in Dimitrovgrad and Bosilegrad.
What will be the biggest obstacle?
Srbia will have to fulfill everything what is stipulated by the Brussels agreement, but also that what is not written but mentioned in British-German ’non-paper’, as well everything what will be included in Chapter 35 for which it is still not known, in which way it will be formulated. What is clear is only that it will be formulated in accordance with “agreement on comprehensive normalization” with Kosovo.
Which reforms will be the hardest?
The problem will be to implement the reforms- in Chapters 23 and 24, in justice and internal affairs. We are the country that has three million unsolved court cases. If we exclude Kosovo, I don’t believe that our road to EU will differ from the road of Montenegro.
