EU Ambassador: Brussels Not Introducing New Obstacles for Serbia

Emanuele Giaufret (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV/MO)

In an op-ed for the June 22 edition of the Belgrade daily Kurir, EU Ambassador and Delegation Head Emanuele Giaufret stated that the Union is not introducing any new obstacles on Serbia’s road to EU membership. The process of European integrations is unambiguous, Giaufret wrote, and its well-known priorities are the rule of law and the normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations, in addition to key economic and environmental issues.

“Although the criteria [for membership] have not changed, Russia’s unilateral and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine has altered the world. Russia’s military aggression has caused a humanitarian crisis and represents a threat to the security of Europe and the entire world. This is precisely why the EU is counting on Serbia – as a close partner and candidate country negotiating on future membership – to answer Russia’s aggression by joining the EU and many countries worldwide,” the op-ed reads.

Giaufret stressed that these new times have shown that dependence on Russian natural gas is dangerous and that it is never a good idea to rely on only one source of goods which are essential to citizens and the economy alike. “With its actions, Russia has shown that it is not a reliable partner and that it is prepared to use hunger and the cold as weapons. The EU is determined to end its dependence on Moscow for fuel,” he stated.

“All these issues are on the agenda for the June 23 and 24 sessions of the European Council [along with t]he candidacy of countries striving for membership and [the question of] how to increase momentum for enlargement to the Western Balkans. In this difficult context, which can also constitute a new opportunity, Serbia must make certain key decisions,” Giaufret concluded.