BELGRADE, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Germany is ready to support Serbia in its efforts to promote regional stability of the Western Balkans and implement key reforms required by the process of European integration set to end around year 2025, Sigmar Gabriel, vice chancellor and foreign minister of Germany told Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Wednesday.
Gabriel arrived in Serbia for an official visit and talked with Vucic about Serbia's obligations on its European path and about Germany's support in that regard, Serbian president's office released.
At a press conference after the meeting, Gabriel highlighted Serbia's importance for the future of the Western Balkans, but underlined that Serbia cannot stabilize the region alone, referring to the need for good neighboring relations with other regional countries.
He repeated that in order to become a member of the European Union (EU), a country must fulfill certain standards, especially when it comes to rule of law, independent judiciary, freedom of press and speech as well as fight against corruption and organized crime.
Gabriel said that countries of the region should not wait for the year 2025 but invest in infrastructure, science, education because "only if people see this road to Europe in their everyday life, they will give us time to meet the requirements".
He said that the new German government is interested in finding a solution and relieving the situation of tensions between Belgrade and Pristina, which is important not only for the EU but for the people living in Serbia and its province.
"We all agree that the interest of people is not to live in middle of a permanent conflict," he said, referring to Serbian southern province of Kosovo and Metohija that unilaterally seceded in 2008.
Vucic revealed that the meeting with Gabriel was about three important topics: "The first is to maintain regional stability. The second is to solve problems with authorities in Pristina. The third topic is about chapters 23 and 24 of the EU acquis that relate to the rule of law, judiciary and the freedom of expression".
He announced that Serbia will do all in its power to maintain stability and peace in the region and that finding a solution in negotiations with Pristina "is a difficult task that lies ahead of us".
Vucic estimated that his recent visit to Croatia was immensely important for the regional relations and that it goes in favor of the strategy for the Western Balkans published by the European Commission a week ago.
He said that although 2025 as the year Serbia could potentially enter EU is not the "Holy Scripture", the country would like to finish that job before that time frame and become a full member of the union.
Stressing the importance of German support to Serbia in European integrations, Vucic said that the country hopes for more dedication coming from Germany in that direction.
He informed that Germany is the most important partner of Serbia when it comes to trade with a balance of around 4.4 billion euros in 2017, of which 1.9 billion euros is Serbian export. Additionally, German companies employ 37,000 people in Serbia, Vucic concluded.
After meeting Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Gabriel is scheduled to travel to Kosovo and meet the authorities in Pristina.
