Marta Kos: Serbian Authorities Should Listen to What Citizens Are Saying

Marta Kos (BETAPHOTO/European Commission/Xavier Lejeune)

European Union (EU) Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos on July 8 said that the protests seen taking place for months in Serbia were a clear expression of the dissatisfaction of citizens, and that every government had to listen to its citizens. 

“Serbia is in a very difficult situation, and we, the EU strongly support the EU path of Serbia and the Serbian people,” Kos told German state television network Deutsche Welle, stressing that “much remains to be done.” She noted that although Serbia had been a candidate country for many years, it had not yet completed the necessary reforms. “Therefore, we are helping to complete these reforms,” she added. 

“On many points,” she said, “the protesters are demanding the same thing that the EU is demanding: the rule of law, the fight against corruption, freedom of the media. So, we actually share the interest and I hope that we can help stabilize Serbia.” 

Replying to the question why the EU flags were missing at protests in Serbia, Kos said it was the same question she had been asking people in Serbia whom she had spoken to – civil society organizations, professors, universities. 

“What they have been telling me is very interesting. First, they say that the EU supports President (Aleksandar) Vucic. Second, you bombed us - even though it was NATO. Third, you want Serbia to recognize Kosovo’s independence. And fourth, we do not want to anger Russia. So, replies suggest very different directions and these feelings should be taken into account. We therefore plan to communicate better the benefits of enlargement,” Kos said.