MEPs: A Democratic Serbia Is Important for Stability, but Can’t Join the EU with Vucic Regime

EU flags (PHOTO: EUROPEAN UNION/Zucchi Enzo)

In Strasbourg on Sept. 9, MEPs of the progressive groups in the European Parliament (EP) said that a democratic Serbia was crucial to the stability of the Western Balkans, and also entire Europe, but that Belgrade could not join the EU with the regime of Aleksandar Vucic.

At the opening of panel debate titled “Serbia: Democracy at a Crossroads,” in the EP, ), Vladimir Prebilic, MEP of the European Greens, said that respecting freedom democracy and the rule of law in Serbia was essential to a stable, progressive and peaceful region of Western Balkans, but also for the whole of Europe. 

Speaking at the panel, organized by political groups in the EP – the Socialists and Democrats, the Greens and Renew Europe, Prebilic said that in the EP he had always been clearly vocal about the situation in Serbia and had consistently “condemned the democratic backsliding, intimidating journalists and erosion of the rule of law".

Other participants in the debate included Helmut Brandstaetter (Renew Europe) and Kathleen Van Brempt (Socialists and Democrats) and representatives of five Serbian opposition parties - Borko Stefanovic (the Freedom and Justice Party), Biljana Djordjevic (the Green-Left Front), Zdravko Ponos (Serbia Center - SRCE), Pavle Grbovic (the Free Citizens Movement), and Ana Jakovljevic (the People’s Movement of Serbia).

Brandstaetter said that Serbia had to become a part of the EU, “but could not join the EU with the Vucic regime, with a regime that acts like Vucic’s, which beats people, tapping people, and which fights against non-governmental organizations.” Brandstaetter added he was expecting that Vucic would get “a strong message” from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who would deliver a speech about the state of the Union on Sept. 10.