Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker is on an official visit to Serbia today. Serbia has long been a candidate for European Union membership, but is making no progress. On the contrary, Serbia is “swimming” farther and farther away from the EU, especially during President Aleksandar Vučić’s tenure, writes the Austrian daily Kronen Zeitung.
The newspaper states that the main reason hindering the European integration process is politics, specifically “the dismantling of democracy and corruption in state structures.” The paper reminds its readers that students in Serbia are organizing the largest protests since the fall of former President Slobodan Milošević.
“The demonstrative fraternization of President Vučić with separatist leader Milorad Dodik, who has been legally convicted in BiH, is a direct challenge to democratic Europe. And Serbia is not succeeding in turning a new leaf with Kosovo either,” writes Kronen Zeitung.
In foreign policy, Vučić is courting China and Russia with political and economic concessions. Serbia has not joined the sanctions, and China is building its axis of influence in the heart of Europe via Piraeus and Belgrade and Budapest.
Serbia is Austria’s biggest economic partner in the Balkans, with an increase in exports in 2024. This means there is an interest in ensuring that this partner does not remain a black hole in Southeast Europe, the Austrian daily states.
“The chancellor does not have an easy task, which is to convey a European vision to Belgrade. Or maybe Vučić has lost all interest in membership anyway,” writes Kronen Zeitung.
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Source: N1, Foto: Pixabay