Upon returning from Brussels, where EU foreign ministers commended Serbia's progress and encouraged it to continue with the integration process, Grubjesic told Radio and Television Serbia that March 2013 could be "an important time for Serbia," as the European Commission could recommend to the European Council to start accession negotiations with Serbia by the end of the first half of the year.
She said Belgrade was aware of the necessity to continue normalisation of relations with Pristina. "It's the most important political requirement Serbia must meet. In everything else, Serbia is meeting the requirements much more easily because the criteria are the same as those that were set to other countries."
Grubjesic said "Serbia already has an action plan" and 35 expert groups for all negotiation chapters, adding that "we are absolutely ready to open the negotiations as early as tomorrow."
The EU Council of Foreign Ministers decided on December 11 to conditionally give Serbia a date for the start of entry talks by the end of June 2013, provided that progress is achieved by then in the normalisation of relations with Pristina. The Council is expected to discuss this next spring. If it assesses that there is progress, Serbia will be given a date for the entry talks by the end of June.