European Union chief Donald Tusk on July declined to give Serbia a fixed timetable for joining the bloc, but encouraged the Balkan nation to stick to the good governance and anticorruption reforms needed to seal the deal.
After talks in Brussels with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who had pressed him for an accession timetable,Tusk said that any timing will depend on how fast Belgrade can push through the reforms.
Tusk sought to encourage Belgrade's ambitions, however, saying that "the end game of the dialogue and Serbia's reform efforts is full membership."
Tusk did not repeat the EU's insistence that Serbia must resolve its disputes with Kosovo as a condition of membership. Serbia has never recognized Kosovo's declaration of independence.
Both nations aspire to join the EU.
Vucic acknowledged on July 14 that for the time being, with the EU still regrouping in the wake of Britain's decision to leave the bloc, "it is not possible to get an exact date" for joining the bloc.
Serbia started its accession talks three years ago.
