European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at a joint conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić that the European Union’s position implies freedom and not repression, including the right to peaceful assembly. “We advocate for partnership, not for subjugation,” she added.
The President of the EC said that Serbia made the choice to join the EU nearly two decades ago and added that she expects Serbia to move twice as fast on the path toward the Union.
“The opportunity for EU membership promises peace, prosperity, and solidarity, and this is especially true in times of crisis. You have seen this in practice; take the example of the energy crisis from 2022. We faced this jointly; the EU provided the same measures to its partners in the Western Balkans as to the member states. This means that someone is a reliable partner; we are connecting Serbia to the EU energy market; this is a guarantee that Serbian families will be safe and warm. We have invited Serbia to join the mechanism for gas procurement,” Von der Leyen said.
She stated that now is the moment for Serbia to take steps toward accession.
“First, progress in the area of the rule of law, media, and electoral law. It is worth making that effort because it brings you closer to the goal. These are the foundations for a peaceful society. I want to welcome the progress with the voters’ list and the REM Council. Implementation is the key thing, and that is why I would invite you to come to Brussels to see what the situation is,” she stated.
She also said that she expects a greater degree of alignment in foreign policy, including sanctions against Russia—”You have harmonized 61 percent, but we want more.”
More than 100 million euros in new investments have been allocated for Serbia from the Growth Plan so far, and “there will be more,” she announced. She praised the supervisory board within the Growth Plan, which consists of people from the government, but also civil society, with whom she announced she would meet later.
“Such a board is an excellent signal; it sends a strong message,” she said, adding that work is being done on integrating Serbia into SEPA.
When asked where she sees the solution to the current situation in Serbia, Von der Leyen said that this is a key moment for Serbia and that it is time for the whole nation to gather and for the foundations of an effective democracy to be strengthened.
“The EU is ready to support you and put in every effort regarding this. Reforms must be carried out, and they should be done by bringing society along. All should be included; society is changing and democracy is being built. This should cover the entire political spectrum, but also important parts of civil society. I welcome the process regarding the updated voters’ list and the agreement on the REM Council; the government has cooperated with civil society organizations. Implementation is the most important; it is good to reach an agreement, and now implementation on the ground,” the EC President added.
Vučić said he was “proud of the democratic commitment” and the behavior of the Serbian state toward the protest participants, stating that there had been 25,000 “unannounced and illegal” protests in 11 months, and no one was killed, unlike in European countries and their police reactions to demonstrators.
“When you talk about the police reaction, excessive use of force, or exceeding authority—if it ever happened, it was in extreme necessity and with minimal use of force,” Vučić stated.
MORE TOPICS:
CRTA: The student list is supported by 12 percent more citizens than Vučić’s!
Source: N1; Foto: ATA Images