Up to Europe now to show Serbia EU future

4 February 2008

 
PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen today said, following the victory of Democrat and pro-EU candidate Boris Tadic in the Serbian Presidential election, "now it is up to Europe to show Serbia that it does have a future in the EU."

Rasmusen added "The Association Agreement with Serbia needs to be ratified fast. I appeal to all EU member governemnts to do it now."

"Boris Tadic is the right man to unite Serbia, and the Serbian people have shown their confidence in him and the European path he advocated. Now it is up to Europe to open the way."

"I congratulate Boris Tadic for his election victory. It is an important moment for Serbia, and we can all be pleased with the path the people of Serbia have chosen."

Poul Nyrup Rasmussen and Boris Tadic iniatiated last May through the PES a ‘Pact for social democracy, EU integration and regional cooperation’ – pledging Social Democratic and Socialist Parties from the European Union and the Balkans to work together to enable all countries of the Western Balkans to join the EU, and to boost social democracy and regional cooperation throughout the Balkan region. 

Commenting on the Serbian Presidential election, Mircea Geoana, Leader of the Romanian Social Democrats (PSD) and Chair of the PES Balkan network said:

"It is a great victory for European social democracy. At the same time it confirms a division in Serbian society, giving an additional responsibility to the winner, the defeated and to the European Union."

"Serbian society has passed a test of maturity. At a turning point it has opted for democracy and for European values."

"The victory of Boris Tadic creates the possibility of a consolidation of stability in the Balkans, and with it a new responsibility for the European Union to respond postively to the expectations and hopes of Serbian citizens. It must offer citizens of the Western Balkan states a visionary and realistic project of integration into the European Union."

"PES will work for the consolidation of social democracy, and our political family's values, in the region. We will intensify cooperation between socialist and social democratic parties in the region, and define together, a social democratic vision for the Balkans, a European project for the Balkans."

Read more about the PES Balkan Pact

For more information:
Julian Scola,
Party of European Socialists, 98 rue du Trône, B-1050 Brussels
mobile +32 486 117 394,