Expert: Series of Challenges Await Serbia during Transformation into Europeanized State

Suzana Grubjesic (BETA/Medija Centar Beograd)

An independent and accountable judiciary, trustworthy institutions, the acceptance of democratic principles, separation of power, professional and free media, human rights and freedoms, fight against corruption and organized crime remain the greatest challenges on Serbia's path to a modern, "Europeanized" state, says Suzana Grubjesic of the Foreign Policy Center.

Speaking of the progress Serbia had made during its accession to the European Union, Grubjesic said in a Dec. 30 interview with the Euraktiv Serbia and BETA that the Serbian government was expected to double the effort and step up the reforms that were key to the EU accession.

She said that the EU enlargement was stopped in 2020 because none of the Western Balkan states had made any progress, highlighting the need for a stronger EU engagement in the region.

Having recalled that in its report for 2020 the European Commission had warned at a lack of progress in the key areas of the rule of law, Grubjesic said that the citizens of Serbia, too, would certainly want to live in a predictable and just environment