MEP: Serbia Sends Dangerous Message

European parliament

Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield said on March 18 that the Serbian government had sent a dangerous message by refusing to join the European Union’s sanctions against Russia, and that together with her peers in the Greens political group she would urge Belgrade to take a clear stance on Moscow.
 
“Since Serbia is holding elections on April 3, it has never been more important for (President Aleksandar) Vucic to align with the European values of democracy and human rights,” she wrote.
 
Delbos-Corfield, a French MEP, said that it was unacceptable that Vucic was still accommodating Russia’ needs, while at the same time receiving EU funds as part of its process to join the Union. “Let’s be clear, Serbia’s future is in the EU. That means that the full implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement is required. It is necessary that the authorities in Serbia introduce sanctions against Russia, just like EU members did,” the Green MEP said..
 
She explained that the Greens “know that most Serbs are against war, and that many have already taken to the streets to protest against the invasion of Ukraine.” Nine MEPs of the Let’s Renew Europe liberal group recently requested that president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen put a temporary freeze on accession talks with Serbia and suspend financial assistance to Belgrade until Serbia aligned its position on Russia with the EU’s.