European Parties Urge Von der Leyen to Support Serbian Students and People, Not Autocrats

Ursula von der Leyen, Belgrade, Oct. 25 2024 (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC)

The European Democratic Party, European Green Party, Party of European Socialists, and Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe voiced concern that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic might use European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s upcoming visit to Belgrade to claim that he enjoyed the support of the European Union.

“We must not reward autocrats. For nearly a year, President Vucic has been repressing protesters, using violence, too,” the parties said in a joint Instagram statement. They posted a photo of von der Leyen and Vucic warmly shaking hands with a caption reading, “Dear President von der Leyen, will you stand by the people of Serbia or autocrats?”

The parties called on von der Leyen to side with those defending democracy in Serbia, to condemn Vucic’s repression, and to show support for students and the opposition’s call for elections. Von der Leyen is scheduled to visit Belgrade on Oct. 15 as part of her Western Balkans tour.