SERBIA – VISIT OF EU ENLARGEMENT COMMISSIONER STEFAN FULE

TADIC WITH FULE: CANDIDACY TO BE FORWARDED TO EC AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
BELGRADE, March 18 (Tanjug) - President Tadic expressed, during this meeting with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule, his expectation that Serbia's candidacy for EU membership will soon be forwarded to the EC and that the ratification of the SAA will soon begin. According to the president's press service, Tadic told Fule that there is a strong political will in Serbia, as well as great administrative capacities, to fulfill the necessary prerequirements for the EU membership. Apart from Serbia's EU integration, Tadic and Fule discussed the cooperation with the Hague Tribunal and fight against organized crime. After Belgrade, Fule will also visit Sarajevo, Podgorica, Tirana and Pristina.

CVETKOVIC & FULE: SERBIA FACES TWO STRATEGIC GOALS
BELGRADE, March 17 (Tanjug) - European Union Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule said in Belgrade that Serbia is facing two strategic goals regarding the process of EU integration - to maintain the positive momentum achieved at the end of last and the beginning of this year, and to initiate a new phase in this process this year. Fule expressed hope that the EU member-states will give the green light to the European Commission to state its stand on Serbia's candidacy. He was addressing the press after meeting Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic. Cvetkovic said he conveyed to Fule Serbia's readiness to pursue the reforms necessary for EU integration and to continue to cooperate with the ICTY. This should pave the way for the start of ratification of the SAA in June and for approval of Serbia's status of candidate for EU membership by the end of 2010 or the start of 2011, he said.

DJELIC & FULE: SERBIA TO JOIN 2020 STRATEGY
BELGRADE, March 17 (Tanjug) - EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule invited Serbia to join in the implementation of the new EU Europa 2020 Strategy. Serbia's development priorities that Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Bozidar Djelic presented to Fule during their meeting Wednesday are in full conformity with the Europa 2020 Strategy, and Serbia was consequently invited to join in, Djelic's office said. The meeting also focused on the steps Serbia is taking in the process of EU integration and in regional cooperation, and on Serbia's participation in the drafting of the EU strategy for the Danube region. Djelic and Fule also discussed the initiative for creating a technology fund for Western Balkans, which was supported by most of the region's countries.

KOSOVO & METOHIJA

JEREMIC URGES NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT TO CONTINUE TO BACK SERBIA
MANILA, March 18 (Tanjug) - Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic expressed gratitude in Manila to the majority of member states of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) for not having recognized the independence of Kosovo, and urged them to maintain the stance and back Serbia's efforts to find a solution for its southern province via dialogue. "I want to express my profound appreciation to the more than eighty percent of NAM member states that have not recognized the separatists in Kosovo. Your continued respect for Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity is truly gratifying," Jeremic stated in his address to the Special Ministerial Meeting of the NAM in the capital of Philippines. Jeremic pointed out that owing to NAM engagement, the UN General Assembly tasked the ICJ to rule on the legality of the unilateral proclamation of Kosovo's independence, which is, as he noted, the first case of the kind in the history of the Court. "It is crucial that you maintain your principled stance, for this case will constitute a strong precedent," Jeremic said, adding that the Court's conclusions will have extensive consequences for the entire international community. He warned that the recognition of legality of a unilateral attempt of secession of an ethnic minority from a UN member state threatens the borders of every multiethnic state, producing instability in all corners of the globe. "After the ICJ issues its ruling, we will need your support to find a solution by means of a dialogue - an outcome embraced by all parties," Jeremic said. He also underscored that Serbia is the leading proponent of reconciliation in Southeast Europe. "We have found the courage for national introspection, in order to confront the misdeeds of the past. We believe this is the only way to break the vicious circle of violence and hatred in our part of the world," he said. Jeremic explained that this was the reason why President Tadic apologized for the wrongdoings of the previous regime in the civil war, and traveled to the town of Srebrenica on the 10th anniversary of the massacre that took place there. He also recalled that the National Assembly of Serbia will soon begin debate on a resolution which will condemn the Srebrenica crime. "We hope this will bring us to full reconciliation with Muslim Bosniaks," Jeremic stated. Jeremic recalled that Serbia has proposed holding a special NAM gathering in Belgrade in June 2011 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the First NAM Summit that took place in Belgrade in 1961. Serbia is the largest and most direct successor to a co-founder of the Movement, the SFRY, but nowadays has only observer status in the organization that includes over hundred countries worldwide.

ESPANA: KOSOVO TO ATTEND CONFERENCE ONLY UNDER UNMIK AUSPICES
BELGRADE, March 18 (Tanjug) - Spanish Ambassador to Serbia Inigo de Palacio Espana has stated that the authorities in Pristina can be presented at international conferences organized by the EU only under the UNMIK auspices and in accordance with the Resolution 1244, adding that this will be the condition for the Kosovo authorities to be invited to the conference planned for the beginning of June in Sarajevo. Spanish Foreign Minister Moratinos has repeated several times since January that at the conference organized by Spain, as the country currently presiding over the EU, the Kosovo authorities can only be presented in accordance with the conditions and frameworks set by all EU member states, Espana stated. Taking into account that there is no consensus within the EU on Kosovo's independence, the only possibility to reach a consensus is to maintain the practice that the Kosovo authorities are presented under UNMIK and in accordance with the Resolution 1244, he stressed. This will be the condition for the Kosovo authorities to be invited to attend Sarajevo. We are hoping that they will accept this, as it is in everyone's best interest, Espana said. He pointed out that the idea of organizing a meeting which would gather all foreign ministers of the EU member states and the Balkan region arose from the need to jointly consider how far all regional countries have come in the EU integration process and to assess which further steps to take. The Spanish Presidency of the EU is working hard to reach a consensus on Serbia's application, but I must honestly say that this has not been the case so far. There is an entire series of obstacles, but we hope that in June, with the continuation of Serbia's cooperation with the ICTY and a positive report of Brammertz, the SAA will be unblocked and that the ratification process will begin, he said. Espana underscored that he does not believe that any news can be expected before June, adding that it will hopefully be the crucial month when Serbia's tendencies towards the EU membership are concerned.

ETHNIC CLEANSING AIM OF MARCH POGROM IN KOSOVO
BELGRADE, March 17 (Tanjug) -Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanovic evaluated that the aim of the March pogrom that happened six years ago was a further persecution of Serbs from the province, which is proved by the ethnic cleansing of six towns and nine villages to which Serbs still have not returned. "The main inspirers and organizers of the pogrom have not been brought to justice yet, which is something devastating that Serbia should be concerned about," the minister told. Bogdanovic stated that he was visiting Kosovo shortly before the pogrom occurred, and added that he put unavailing efforts to warn the officials of the international community, including the former EU high representative for common foreign and security policy, Javier Solana, that "something horrible" is being prepared. "We are being convinced that the international forces in Kosovo-Metohija are now better equipped and trained, that they have better intelligence service and that they would not allow March 17, 2004 repeat itself," he said. The minister, however, based on his previous experience, fears that something similar could happen again, especially after the decrease in the number of KFOR troops, since it is obvious that there is a social tension in Kosovo which could breed an event similar to the March pogrom. The Serbian government, as he put it, wants to solve all the issues regarding Kosovo in a peaceful, constructive and pragmatic way, because only dialogue and compromise can bring peace, stability and reconciliation between Serbs and ethnic Albanians. According to him, Serbia wants a prosperous multi-ethnic society to be established in Kosovo, but one of the preconditions is the return of around 220,000 refugees and internally displaced persons. As he warned, the additional source of tension is the plan of Pieter Feith and the interim authorities in Pristina that, among other things, implies the establishment of the so-called Kosovo institutions in the north of the province, which Serbs oppose. "I believe that no one will dare to carry out the plan against the Serbs' will. If there is anything good in this plan, than it is the fact that there is no threatening with violence. Such a thing would be devastating, and it would destabilize not only Kosovo and Metohija, but the whole Western Balkans, since it is inadmissible that problems, wherever and however they be, are solved with violence and clashes," Bogdanovic stressed.

SERBS' RETURN TO KOSOVO IS RELATED TO FEELING OF SAFETY
BELGRADE, March 17 (Tanjug) - State Secretary with the Ministry for Kosovo-Metohija Oliver Ivanovic stated, on the occasion of the six years as of the great March pogrom against Serbs in Kosovo, that inspirers and organizers of the tragic event should be brought to justice, pointing out that, in spite of the fact that the demolished houses were reconstructed, the Serbs have not returned to their homes in the province. During the two days of the March pogrom, ethnic Albanians expelled more than 4,000 Serbs, ethnically cleansed six towns and nine Serb villages and desecrated 35 churches and monasteries. Ivanovic told the Radio and Television of Serbia that those who tried to gain benefit from the pogrom have to be punished, since the organizers themselves "were not out on the streets." "Serbs do not feel safe in Kosovo, especially if they come back individually, and they cannot be talked into returning collectively," he said. The state secretary assessed that the status of Kosovo will not be resolved for a long time.

DALIMUNTHE: INDONESIA'S UNWAVERING SUPPORT TO SERBIA
BELGRADE, March 18 (Tanjug) - Indonesian Ambassador to Belgrade Muhammad Abduh Dalimunthe stated that Indonesia gives its unwavering support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia. At the yearly Assembly of the Association of Serbian-Indonesian Friendship Nusantara, Dalimunthe pointed out that, in the period of 2007-2008 while Indonesia was a non-permanent member of the UN SC, the Indonesian authorities advocated that the issue of Kosovo-Metohija should be resolved in a peaceful way and through negotiations which would be accepted by both sides. So far, Indonesia's position has not been changed and official Jakarta continues to monitor the development of the situation in Kosovo, Dalimunthe, who is nearing the end of his mandate in Serbia, told the Association members. Indonesia is, among other things, the country with the largest Muslim population, a member of the Non-Aligned Movement and the influetial Group 20 (G-20) of the most developed countries in the world and emerging economies. He also pointed to a very friendly position of the Serbian government towards Indonesia and its strong support to the sovereignty and integrity of one of the largest and most populated countries in Asia. More than 230 people live in Indonesia, which consists of more than 17,500 islands, with a total of 1.9 million of square kilometers of land, and they come from about 300 different ethnic groups and speak 742 languages and dialects.

SERBIA – REGION

FULE: ALL REGIONAL LEADERS SHOULD BE IN BRDO PRI KRANJU
BELGRADE, March 18 (Tanjug) - European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule stated that the conference that is scheduled to be held in Brdo pri Kranju in Slovenia will send positive messages, adding that all regional leaders should take part in it. The conference is about regional cooperation, that is why it is important for the representatives of all countries to attend it, Fule stated for TV B92. Fule reiterated that the cooperation with ICTY is the only precondition for the continuation of EU integration process that is for the beginning of ratification of the SAA and consideration of Serbia's EU candidacy bid. However, he pointed out that according to Copenhagen criteria, regional cooperation and good relations between neighboring countries are of great importance. Fule said that the EU is willing to help Serbia in its approach to Europe, adding that the enthusiasm that was engendered late in 2009 and early in 2010 has to be preserved.

IN CASE TADIC SHOWS UP, VAN ROMPUY ATTEND CONFERENCE
BELGRADE, March 17 (Tanjug) - EP rapporteur for Serbia Jelko Kacin stated that President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy said that provided Serbian President Boris Tadic attends the meeting of the Western Balkan leaders in Slovenia, he will be ready to attend it as well. Serbia is a sovereign country that decides on it own on the dynamics of its approach to the EU and also has to decide what are its interests regarding the scheduled meeting, Kacin told.He added that he believes that Rompuy's message was good, adding that he unable to say how Serbia interpreted it. No country that would participate in the meeting would come there with a flag or its name displayed, this is a meeting of the most influential and powerful politicians who care about the future of the region. This is a meeting of states, it is not a matter of state symbols or Serbia's recognition of the state of Kosovo - it is a meeting that should send a positive image to everyone in the region and from the region to the EU, Kacin said.Kacin said that the purpose of this meeting is good cooperation between neighboring countries and improvement of the atmosphere in the Western Balkan region.

ZBOGAR: CONFERENCE IS STILL BEING DISCUSSED
LJUBLJANA, March 17 (Tanjug) - The talks on the conference on the Western Balkans which is scheduled to be held at Brdo pri Kranju on Saturday are still underway, Slovenian Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar, adding that not all planned participants have confirmed their attendance. "We have received confirmations from the majority of regional countries, but not from all," he said in the Parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee answering the MPs' questions on the leaders that are to attend the conference and pointed out that regarding Serbia and Kosovo, Slovenia is still trying to enable the arrival of both parties. Zbogar said that the final declaration is being prepared, which should be published at the end of the conference, and is aimed at the Western Balkan's approach to the EU, the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) reported. He expressed hope that the conference will send positive signals, adding that the most important message of the gathering will be that the regional states are ready to discuss their European perspective and that leaders believe in the perspective and are therefore ready for reforms. The leaders should, according to Zbogar, send a message that they are ready to solve bilateral issues. The organizers of the conference are Slovenia and Croatia. Zbogar underscored that the international community is very interested in the conference, adding that President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, Spain's Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, the country that currently holds the EU presidency, and EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule are expected to attend it.

SLOVENIAN EMBASSY: CONFERENCE ON WESTERN BALKANS TO BE HELD
BELGRADE, March 17 (Tanjug) - The conference on the Western Balkans, scheduled for Saturday, March 20, at Brdo pri Kranju near Ljubljana, will surely be held, as the Slovenian Embassy in Belgrade told. The conference will be held, even in case President of Serbia Boris Tadic does not show up, since this meeting is very important for the Western Balkans, Charge d' Affairs of the Slovenian Embassy in Belgrade Jadranka Sturm-Kocjan stated. She pointed out that a general declaration on cooperation and dialogue in the Western Balkans will be adopted at the conference, and added that the document will not mention individual countries, but only the region.

JOSIPOVIC: HUNGARIAN PRESIDENT DID NOT MEDIATE
ZAGREB, March 18 (Tanjug) - Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom's proposal to hold a trilateral meeting between Croatian, Serbian and Hungarian presidents is an offer and an initiative, rather than a mediation between Zagreb and Belgrade, Croatian President Ivo Josipovic stated. Josipovic said that there will be contacts even without this mediation, and added that it is good that such regional initiatives exist. In a show on Croatian television, Josipovic stated that there is no final confirmation that Serbian President Boris Tadic will take part in the announced meeting of heads of state and government of the Balkan countries, which is to take place in Brdo pri Kranju, near Ljubljana, Slovenia, on March 20.

CROATIAN MINISTER SIMONOVIC SAYS OUT-OF-COURT DEAL POSSIBLE
BELGRADE, March 18 (Tanjug) - Croatian Justice Minister Ivan Simonovic said in reference to the mutual genocide charges which the governments of Croatia and Serbia have put before the Hague-based ICJ that there is always a possibility to resolve issues out of court. "However, to reach an out-of-court settlement, the prosecutor needs to abandon the statement of claim. The key question is under which conditions the prosecutors would be willing to withdraw their claims and whether the respondent would be ready to meet such conditions," Simonovic said for Vecernje novosti. Simonovic also believes that "had Serbia been willing to resolve the issue out of court, it would have probably sought an extension of the deadline for filing a response to Croatia's claim and initiated negotiations, and not filed a counterclaim almost three months before the expiry of the deadline for the response."

SERBIA – EU

KACIN & PASTOR: SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE
BELGRADE, March 17 (Tanjug) - Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (SVM) leader Istvan Pastor said that his party is satisfied with the adoption of the Statute of Vojvodina, Law on Transfer of Jurisdictions and Law on the Election of National Minority Councils. According to him, SVM supports the path the state has chosen, in which there will be no new reshaping of laws which might hinder the process of regionalization and decentralization. Addressing the journalists in the Serbian parliament building, Pastor said that he had conveyed the SVM position to EP Rapporteur to Serbia Jelko Kacin, during Kacin's Wednesday meeting with a group of minorities of the Vojodina Provincial Assembly. He added that the representatives of the group had told Kacin that they are generally satisfied with the direction in which things had been going in Serbia for the past year and a half. Pastor also said that he had informed Kacin about the significant progress that had been made in respect of inter-ethnic relations in Vojvodina, and that fortunately, things are not as they used to be in 2003 and 2004. However, ethnically-based incidents are still a problem, but they are sporadic and represent only isolated cases, he said, and noted that this is a good thing. In his talks with Kacin, the SVM leader also underlined that the police are being a lot more efficient in tracking down the perpetrators of such incidents than they used to be, but pointed out, however, that everything that follows is done in an inefficient manner with mild punishments for the perpetrators.

KACIN: SERBIA MAKES NO PROGRESS IN RESTITUTION
BELGRADE, March 17 (Tanjug) - Representatives of the Restitution Network in Serbia conferred with EP Rapporteur Kacin and informed him that Serbia has made no progress in the restitution of seized property, the network said in a release. According to the release, Kacin pointed out that unless the country begins the restitution process, in cannot be regarded as a legal state or hope for steady inflow of foreign investments. The meeting also raised the issue of unregistered state property, the major part of which is seized (nationalized) property, the release says. Representatives of the network informed Kacin of the action the citizens launched on March 1 this year, aimed at registering state property, and about the piles of letters the network received from various users of state property (municipalities, public Co. & economic societies) which demand to be given details about that property. The meeting also pointed to the fact that in most cases there are no obstacles whatsoever for restitution.

BRINGEUS: ALL ASYLUM SEEKERS WILL BE RETURNED FROM SWEDEN
BUJANOVAC/VRANJE, March 17 (Tanjug) - Swedish ambassador to Serbia Krister Bringeus said that 1,120 citizens of Serbia who requested asylum in Sweden this year for economic or social reasons will have to be returned to Serbia. In less than three months this year, 1,120 citizens of Serbia requested asylum in Sweden, compared to less than 500 in the whole 2009, he said. All these people will be returned to Serbia, but this does not mean that Sweden's doors are closed to the citizens of Serbia, Bringeus told the press in Bujanovac and Vranje, in southern Serbia. Bringeus conferred Wednesday morning in Bujanovac with representatives of several Roma association and with Municipality President Saip Kamberi, and then in Vranje with representatives of local authorities. He said that 80 percent of the people who arrived in Sweden were Roma from southern Serbia, 10 percent ethnic Albanians and 10 percent Serbs. Sweden is concerned over the social situation in southern Serbia and will therefore continue to provide economic assistance, he said. Everyone in Sweden is proud of the visa liberalization granted to Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia last December 19, but abuse of this good idea cannot be tolerated, the ambassador said.

SERBIA

TADIC: CHAIN OF ORGANIZED CRIME HAS TO BE CUT
BELGRADE, March 18 (Tanjug) - President Boris Tadic stated that Serbia and all its institutions are determined to fight organized crime which along with groups of fans and the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo represents the greatest threat for the national security. "The question arises whether Serbia will be a legal society in which all citizens will be protected, or it will be chronically hit by destabilization, crime and everything else that jeopardizes the legal order. I believe that we have no alternative policy and that the determined fight against organized crime is the responsibility of all top officials," Tadic said. "Given that Serbia cannot allow spreading of organized crime, particularly drug trafficking which is the most harmful for social interests, the chain of crime has to be cut," Tadic said. Tadic believes that the fight against organized crime, besides infrastructure, is one of his most important personal missions as the president of Serbia. "Under no circumstances will I give up the fight, and members of organized crime know that very well," Tadic said. Asked to comment the fact that his invitation to the regional countries to launch a joint fight against organized crime in Montenegro was taken as questioning of the country's statehood, Tadic said that these were provocations that came from one part of the Montenegrin politicians. "This kind of terminology implying that Serbia jeopardizes the independence of Montenegro is always used when it is of some political use in Montenegro, for instance before elections. No one in Serbia intends to endanger Montenegro's independence," Tadic said and recalled that after the referendum on independence, he went to Montenegro, accepted the results of the referendum and gave them full legality. He underscored that fight against organized crime is an area in which two states have to cooperate. "I do not accuse anyone in Montenegro or I have right to do something like that. I do not find it useful. I only ask for the standard of inter-state behavior to be honored in fight against organized crime," Tadic said.

TADIC: JUDICIARY REFORM MUST BE WITHOUT SHADOW OF DOUBT
BELGRADE, March 18 (Tanjug) - President Tadic stated that the reform of the judicial system must be completed "without a shadow of a doubt," and voiced expectation that this will actually happen with a successful completion of the process in which the Constitutional Court will rule on the appeals of the non(re)elected judges and prosecutors. "We must complete our judiciary reform. This is a general election of judges and prosecutors and we should leave it to legal experts to solve the legal dilemma whether an explanation was necessary or not in such a case," Tadic told. However, the judiciary reform, as he explained, also has political implications, which are very important for Serbia and its European future, and that is why the justification and the success of this reform must be irrefutable. "This is why every suggestion of the European institutions as well as the inclusion of our legal institutions such as the Constitutional Court, is beneficial," Tadic said.

UN SECRETARY GENERAL: ICTY NEEDS MORE TIME
NEW YORK, March 17 (Tanjug) - UN SecGen Ban Ki-moon has stated that the ICTY needs a few more years to complete its work, adding that the issue should be reviewed if and when the two remaining fugitives are caught. Ban said that there is a broad consensus that the ICTY needs to keep going until around 2013, even though the court is supposed to start decreasing its activity at the end of 2010. According to Ban, if and when the two remaining fugitives are caught, the ICTY will have to adapt or pass the cases on to other courts, which has already been discussed by ICTY and UN Security Council representatives. The tribunal has completed more than 120 cases so far, while tens of trials and appeals are still ongoing.

CANAK: STRATEGY FOR DECENTRALIZATION BY END OF 2011
BELGRADE, March 17 (Tanjug) - Chairman of the National Council for Decentralization Nenad Canak said after the council's first session that a political compromise must be reached on the process of implementing decentralization in Serbia. The most realistic deadline for drafting a national strategy for decentralization is the end of 2011, he told a press conference. The council concluded that the most realistic deadline for drafting a national strategy for decentralization is the end of 2011, and noted that this process should be implemented on the basis of principles of trasparency and inclusion of as many citizens and experts as possible, he said. The agenda of the first council session did not include any specific activities in the decentralization process such as the number of regions or their territories, and no political agreement was made on future steps, Canak said. Political consensus should be based on European standards on human and civil rights, he said. Asked whether the coouncil is considering decentralization of Kosovo-Metohija too, Canak said that it is acting in keeping with the Serbian Constitution and the UN SC Res 1244.Commenting the announcement of President Tadic that he intends to form a commission for decentralization, Canak said this would be useful, as more people know more and see more.

WARLICK: US COMPANIES IN SERBIA EMPLOY 8,000 PEOPLE
NOVI SAD, March 17 (Tanjug) - Newly appointed US Ambassador to Serbia Mary Warlick said in Novi Sad that US companies in Serbia employ 8,000 people and that the number is constantly increasing. It's been only a month since I came to Serbia, and my first impressions of Serbia are overwhelming. I was particularly fascinated by young people, who are open to the world, including the USA, and I am very glad that many of them found a job in American companies in Serbia, she said at the opening of the Employment and Professional Practice Fair KONTEH 10, held at the Faculty of Technical Sciences (FTN) in Novi Sad on March 17-18. According to her, the young people in Serbia are a real treasury, and their knowledge and abilities will contribute to a quick prosperity of the country. The guests were welcomed by the Dean of the faculty Prof. Dr. Ilija Cosic, who did not fail to mention that the initiative for the event came from the EESTEC (Electrical Engineering Students European Association) student organization, which provides students and graduates of the University of Novi Sad with information about employment and career in companies operating in Serbia.

SERBIA – POLAND

CVETKOVIC & PAWLAK: ECONOMIC COOPERATION SHOULD BE IMPROVED
BELGRADE, March 17 (Tanjug) - Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic and Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Waldemar Pawlak agreed that it is necessary to promote economic cooperation between the two countries, both in the enlargement of the foreign trade and investments, particularly in the areas of mining, energy and agriculture. Cvetkovic recalled that by the submission of the EU candidacy bid, Serbia has confirmed its strong pro-European orientation, the Serbian government stated. "We appreciate Poland's support to soon beginning of the ratification process of the SAA and acquiring of the EU candidacy membership," he pointed out. Cvetkovic and Pawlak also discussed the impact of the global financial crisis on the economic trends in Serbia and Poland, the statement said.

DJELIC & PAWLAK BACK IMPROVEMENT OF SERBIA-POLAND COOPERATION
BELGRADE, March 17 (Tanjug) - The level of bilateral cooperation between Serbia and Poland should be improved, particularly in the domain of energy, agriculture and infrastructure, Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic and Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Waldemar Pawlak stated on Wednesday. Djelic announced at a joint press conference with Pawlak that Serbian President Boris Tadic will pay a visit to Poland next week and sign a bilateral economic agreement with Polish officials in Warsaw. Pawlak told journalists in the Serbian government that his country has achieved stability and strength in the last 20 years of transition and can therefore be a good partner to Serbia when it comes to the EU integration process, attraction of European funds and financing system in various sectors. "Poland is a country that has made the greatest progress in the last 20 years regarding the standard of its citizens. This county has attracted direct foreign investments worth over EUR 100 billion and increased salaries and pensions by 12 times," Djelic said.

DINKIC & PAWLAK: TO EXCHANGE EXPERIENCE REGARDING EU FUNDS
BELGRADE, March 17 (Tanjug) - Deputy Prime Minister Mladjan Dinkic has met with his Polish counterpart Waldemanr Pawlak and suggested that the two countries' ministries of economy sign a memorandum of understanding that would help exchange their experience regarding EU pre-accession funds. Pawlak stated that his country holds top spot when it comes to the total amount of money that it has received from EU funds, while it is ranked 10th regarding the funds planned between 2007 and 2013. Poland had a positive economic growth in 2009 and defended well against the effects of the global economic crisis. Dinkic and Pawlak discussed overall bilateral cooperation, putting special emphasis on ways to improve trade, investments and future cooperation. The meeting focused especially on agriculture, energy, mining, information technology and production of buses, tractors and auto parts. Dinkic presented the investment possibilities that Serbia provides, as well as the benefits that come from its free trade agreements with Russia, Belarus, Turkey and the countries of the Central European Free Trade Agreement, which opens up a market of 800 million people, says an announement by the Serbian Ministry of Economy.