"The negotiations for Serbia's membership of the European Union will, essentially, begin today with the visit of Stefan Fuele and his delegation. The visit will set the framework for the negotiations. Since this is a process, the mandate itself will be prepared by the European Commission and then delivered to us".
This was the reply of Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic to "Novosti" when asked when Serbia would receive the negotiation framework and about the initial tasks that our country will have to fulfil in the coming months.

What chapters will be opened first and will Kosovo be on the agenda only under chapter 35 or other sections as well?

- I suppose that the subject-matter of Kosovo and Metohija will be discussed in chapter 35 ("Other matters"), but it will be formulated in a way that will not be seen as setting conditions. This agenda item will naturally imply monitoring of relations between Belgrade and Pristina. There will be no blackmail, because blackmail would not work.

How many people will be involved on our side in the negotiation process and what will the Serbian negotiating structure look like?

- It is quite certain that the negotiation process will, directly or indirectly, include hundreds of participants, and over a longer term there will even be up to 1,500 people involved. I am saying this, drawing upon the experiences of some of the member countries. A great deal bears upon the negotiating process, and therefore its dimensions cannot be confined, in the conventional sense of the word.
The dialogue with the EU will definitely involve civil-sector stakeholders, representatives of Vojvodina and our ethnic minorities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also be included in the process in all possible ways, mainly through the Serbian Mission to the European Union in Brussels and the Ministry department primarily dealing with European integration.

How will the negotiations be effectively conducted and who on the EU side will the Serbian team negotiate with? Will there be any discussions between Belgrade and the member states, or will the whole process be carried out through the European Commission?

- The whole process will go through the European Commission only. It goes without saying that negotiations will be held, whenever possible or as appropriate, in parallel with individual member states. However, the main work will be done between Brussels and Belgrade.

On whose experiences will we mostly draw in the negotiation process?

- We have received offers from many sides and we intend to work with all countries which have expressed willingness to help us accelerate this process. Of course, we are counting on neighbouring EU members like Slovenia, or countries like Slovakia, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland but also on some more distant countries like Portugal or Ireland. Needless to say, we can always count on our Italian friends, and with a reason.