German, French Ambassadors Call on Serbia to Set EU Membership as National Priority

European union

A joint Jan. 22 op-ed penned by the French and German ambassadors to Serbia called on “the authorities, all the political and social forces, and all the citizens of Serbia to set joining the EU as a national priority.”

In the article, published by the Politika daily on occasion of the 61st anniversary of the signing of the Elysee Treaty, Anke Konrad and Pierre Cochard stated that the treaty “constituted the foundation of reconciliation” between their countries. One of their shared goals, they added, is EU enlargement, which is slowly gaining momentum – and includes Serbia.

“Germany and France are jointly involved in supporting the implementation of all the reforms Serbia has undertaken on its path toward joining the EU, which we hope will happen soon,” the ambassadors wrote.

They went on to recall that January 2024 also marks 10 years since Serbia began accession talks with the EU, a dynamic, they stated, might seem slow to the people of Serbia, but which reflects the demanding nature of the accession process.

According to them, although Serbia has achieved progress over the last decade, numerous challenges remain. Therefore, 2024 will be a pivotal year, in which they hope “Serbia will confirm its choice and resolutely continue down the path of reforms.”