Serbian Minister of European Integration Tanja Miščević stated today that the integration process could not remain stagnant and that Serbia must utilise all institutional capacities to accelerate it, as there was a lot of work ahead, and not a single day could be wasted.
Miščević signed an agreement with Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Michela Telatin, which will, through the existing regional UNOPS and Norway programme, provide the necessary technical support for establishing the Centre of Excellence.
“I am grateful to the Government of Serbia for recognising and supporting this idea during one of its recent sessions, thereby demonstrating its commitment to accelerating the European integration process,” she said.
Through the project, Norway will provide USD 200,000 over one year. The project will be managed by UNOPS and will assist the Ministry in carrying out the entire process technically.
Miščević highlighted that the Centre of Excellence was a way for Serbia to capitalise on its prolonged accession process by sharing the experience it had gained with other EU membership candidates.
The Centre will not only include people from the Ministry but also those who have been involved in the integration process for decades. “Our plan is to be ready by the end of 2026 to adopt the EU acquis, and we will need the help of those who have already gone through this alignment process, as well as to exchange knowledge,” Miščević added.
Miščević emphasised that Norway, although not an EU member state, strongly supports Serbia’s European aspirations.
Norwegian Ambassador Kristin Melsom stated that her country strongly supported Serbia’s EU membership and viewed the Centre of Excellence as a mechanism to support its socio-economic development and regional stability.
“This is an opportunity for knowledge exchange, partnerships, and support in implementing reforms necessary for Serbia’s prosperous future as an EU member state,” Melsom stated, adding that key areas of cooperation included energy, the green agenda, and agriculture.
Today’s agreement signing was preceded by a meeting between Minister Tanja Miščević, UNOPS Director Michela Telatin, and Norwegian Ambassador Kristin Melsom.
Source: FoNet
