EU flags (PHOTO: EUROPEAN UNION/Zucchi Enzo)
There is a significant disparity between the EU’s normative agenda and the Union’s practical geopolitical and economic interests in the Western Balkans, which signals to the Serbian authorities that economic and strategic priorities may trump essential reforms, lessening motivation for democratic progress, said Montenegrin analyst Jovana Marovic.
In a June 2025 policy brief titled “From Norms to Noise: Why the EU Talks Reform but Fuels Decline in the Balkans,” Marovic – a member of The Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG) – wrote that the “period following the canopy collapse in Novi Sad on 1 November 2024 revealed a striking example of the EU’s hypocrisy in the region.”
Marovic recalled that the tragedy sparked protests throughout the country along with demands for transparency, accountability and democratic change, to which the Serbian regime responded with violence, arrests and a pro-governmental media smear campaign against the university student movement.
“Despite these concerning developments,” Marovic wrote, “key EU officials continued to treat President [of Serbia] Aleksandar Vučić as a constructive partner, emphasizing geopolitical alignment and regional stability while offering only vague references to human rights and democratic standards.”
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