The European Union has granted financial support for the Serbian budget.
The EU delegation to the country has said in a statement that the bloc "decided to release the first installment of budget support for Serbian worth 50 million" euros.
It also said that in 2010 Serbia should receive the second installment of 50 million euros as well as additional 200 million-euro loan for its budget.
The loan comes as Serbia officially
submitted an application to join the European Union -- a move the EU presidency called a historic new start for the Balkan nation.
But the failure to capture war crimes indictee Ratko Mladic remains a
major obstacle to relations between Serbia and the West.
compiled from agency reports