Hahn: Serbia not asked to impose sanctions against Russia

Brussels, 18 November 2014 (MIA) - Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, said on Tuesday that he has not asked from Serbia to impose sanctions against Russia, adding that this issue is not connected to opening of chapters in the accession negotiations.

I haven't asked from Serbia to join the European sanctions against Russia, Hahn told reporters after a meeting with Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic in Brussels.

The commissioner said Serbia’s foreign policy was one of the topics of the talks with Dacic on Tuesday, but stressed that such decisions are a sovereign matter of the Serbian government. The sanctions and the opening of chapters in the negotiating process are in no way connected, Hahn said and expressed hope for the first chapters to be opened in foreseeable future.

Dacic confirmed at a press conference that there was no explicit request to impose sanctions against Russia, although Brussels expects from Serbia to align its foreign policy with that of the EU before it is granted the full-fledged membership.

We hope  to open Chapter 32 relating to financial control very soon, Dacic said, adding that almost all EU members support this. 

Today, Dacic attended a meeting of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative and held talks with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, Serbia's media reported.