Serbia’s Youth Discusses EU Integrations with the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Maxime Verhagen

Serbia’s Youth Discusses EU Integrations with the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Maxime Verhagen

During his official visit to Serbia on 16 December 2009 Minister Verhagen participated in a debate with some fifty young people on Serbia’s future in the EU. The participants were a mixed group of students, scientists, young professionals, actors and activists, who shared a willingness to question Verhagen on his views on their country. The televised debate took place in the Dutch-sponsored European Center for Culture and Debate “Grad” in Belgrade.

The participants were interested in the role of the Netherlands in the European future of Serbia and the current EU enlargement policy and its potential changes over the time. Verhagen stated that once Serbia fulfils the criteria, he would endorse EU membership regardless of possible resistance from voters. Minister Verhagen was also asked about the opportunities for Serbian citizens to live and work in the Netherlands after the visa liberalization and to comment on issues such as the preservation of Dutch cultural identity in the light of the great number of immigrants from all over the world who have found their home in the Netherlands.

Minister Verhagen highly appreciated the exchange of views he had on this occasion. It gave his one-day visit to Belgrade another dimension and was a very useful addition to the official meetings he had with President Tadic and a number of ministers.

The venue of this event - “GRAD” was established following the initiative of the “Cultural Front Belgrade” and “The Felix Meritis Foundation” from Amsterdam and it is one of the many projects in Serbia whose implementation was supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its development assistance program called MATRA.