German Envoy: Berlin Backs Region’s EU Membership, Active Engagement with Serbia

Conference “Revitalization of EU values”, Belgrade, May 10 2022 (BETAPHOTO/AMIR HAMZAGIC)

German Special Envoy for Western Balkans Manuel Sarrazin in Belgrade on May 10 said that Berlin advocated integration in the EU of the countries in the region and wished continued and active engagement with Serbia.  

Speaking at a conference titled “Revitalization of EU values,” held under the auspices of the European Movement in Serbia, Sarrazin said that Germany backed EU membership of the Western Balkan countries rather than “some sort of their partnership with the Union.”

“The EU sets a clear framework for unification, even if our starting positions are different. It is a perfect moment for the Western Balkans to join this club. It is clear that the EU cannot succeed without successful enlargement to include this region. No one will trust the role of the EU in the future or the struggle between democracy and an authoritarian regime, unless we are successful in our enlargement to include the Western Balkans,” Sarrazin stressed.

He further said that the EU enlargement process should be empowered by opening chapters with North Macedonia and Albania and visa liberalization for Kosovo. Sarrazin added that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had been told by top German officials and him that Berlin had been expecting from Serbia to join the EU sanctions against Russia. According to Sarrazin, this means alignment with EU decisions, which does not have to be immediate, but gradual.