Belgrade, March 15, 2003 - Serbia must continue with the reforms launched by its Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, assassinated on March 12, and the international community will continue to lend it support, said leaders of the European Union and the Council of Europe, as well as representatives of the United States, who arrived in Belgrade on Saturday to attend the Prime Minister's state funeral.
After the funeral, President of Serbia and Montenegro Svetozar Marovic held a reception for representatives of more than 70 international delegations at the Palace of the Federation. The attendees held informal talks with Serbian and Montenegrin officials, the Beta news agency reported.
European Commission President Romano Prodi said after meeting with Serbia and Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic that the European Union will help Serbia and Montenegro in terms of political solidarity, organisation and financial assistance to help it through the trying times that will follow the death of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic.
Prodi added that as a European official, but also personally, he feels closer and closer to Serbia.
"We see this country as someone who needs our support," said Prodi, adding that he expects Serbia to continue with the democratic reforms launched by Prime Minister Djindjic. "The European Union wants you to make quicker progress so that you could become a full member one day."
Council of Europe Secretary-General Walter Schwimmer said that despite the loss Serbia is faced with, there will be no obstacles for the country's quick accession to the Council of Europe.
"Zoran Djindjic was dedicated to democratic changes and the accession of Serbia and Montenegro into European structures, and he paved the road that we all have to take," Schwimmer told the Beta news agency.
Former US Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger said that Serbia must continue with the democratic reforms Djindjic had initiated, and that the US must support it on that path.
"Serbia and the US must act very sensibly in planning their future. Serbia must continue with democratic reforms," said Eagleburger, who led an official American delegation at the funeral. He added that the US must understand that this is a difficult and painstaking process for Serbia and its people, and that the US must therefore be ready to support them.
UN High Representative in Kosovo Michael Steiner said that Prime Minister Djindjic was a fervent advocate of democracy and the rule of law and urged Belgrade authorities to continue that way.
President of the EU Council of Ministers George Papandreou said that the Union is ready and determined to support Serbia and Montenegro on its way to democracy and European integration.
Italian Parliament Speaker Pier Ferdinand Casino and Serbia and Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic talked about strengthening bilateral relations between Italy and Serbia and Montenegro.
President Marovic expressed his sincere gratitude to the international delegations for attending the funeral of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, as well as for their sympathy and support to the country in these difficult moments. Marovic said that the democratic institutions in Serbia have the strength to remain on the right track.
Marovic said no one can stop the authorities on the road to peace, progress and democracy, adding "especially now when we see how many friends we have in Europe."
During the reception at the Palace of the Federation, President Marovic and Federal Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic held bilateral talks with a number of European leaders, some of whom also met with Federal Parliament Speaker Dragoljub Micunovic, Acting Serbian President Natasa Micic and Vice President of the Democratic Party Zoran Zivkovic.
President Marovic also held separate talks with the prime ministers of Albania, Austria, Macedonia, Slovenia, Croatia and Slovakia - Fatos Nano, Wolfgang Schuessel, Branko Crvenkovski, Anton Rop, Ivica Racan and Mikulas Dzurinda respectively - as well as French Minister for European Affairs Noëlle Lenoir, President of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency Mirko Sarovic and President of Republika Srpska Dragan Cavic.
Also present at the reception were German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, UN High Representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina Paddy Ashdown, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and many other European high officials.
