Serbia’s Alignment with EU Foreign Policy Below 50 Percent

Josep Borrell, Marko Djuric, Brussels, July 17 2024 (BETAPHOTO/European Council/Alexandros Michailidis)

In the first half of this year, Serbia aligned with 47 percent of foreign political declarations of the EU, which is at the level of the previous two years and the lowest among the EU member candidates from the Western Balkans, according to the results of the Analysis of Serbia’s alignment of the ISAC fund, which were presented on Sept. 18.

In the first six months, Serbia aligned with 27 of the published 57 declarations and measures of the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU. The Analysis showed that Serbia, as before, avoided aligning with the declarations and measures directed against Russia and China, their citizens, entities or interests.

One of the main reasons, it was declared in the Analysis, is the issue of Kosovo, because Serbia still seeks the support of Russia and China in international forums. It was added that Serbia had also not aligned with the declarations and measures that pertain to other issues, mainly connected with Russia and its aggression on Ukraine.

The director of the ISAC fund, Nikola Petrovic, assessed that Serbia was aligning its foreign political determination on the basis of internal circumstances, while the program director of the Center for Contemporary Policy, Nikola Burazer, stated that low level of alignment spoke about the poor chance of joining the EU.