Von Beckerath: Serbia an Important Partner in Shaping Europe’s Future, Not as a Guest but as a Host

Andreas von Beckerath (BETAPHOTO/MILAN ILIC)

Serbia is an important partner in shaping Europe's future, and this is the Europe to which it belongs - not as a guest, but as a host at its own table, the European Union’s Ambassador to Serbia Andreas von Beckerath said on May 8.

Speaking at a ceremony marking Europe Day, the EU ambassador said it is a day "to remind us what can be achieved when nations once divided by war, fear and borders have the courage to make the right decisions." "Today, EU enlargement is a geopolitical necessity, essential for the future of Europe. Russia's war in Ukraine has made this truer than ever," von Beckerath said. Referring to the current geopolitical circumstances, he added that they have created "new momentum for enlargement, with some candidate countries moving decisively toward EU membership." He said Serbia has the economic weight, human capital and geopolitical importance to seize the current momentum, but that this requires clear, consistent and courageous choices, while in today's Union momentum also means action.

Von Beckerath said that Serbia's strategic choices shape not only its own path toward the European Union, but also prosperity across the entire region. "Serbia has the potential to accelerate its European path - the numbers tell a clear story. Young people recognize that EU membership is the most concrete path toward a better everyday life. Also, the EU public is more supportive of enlargement than before," he explained.

The ceremony was attended by Serbian Prime Minister Djuro Macut, Serbian Speaker Ana Brnabic, and ministers Marko Djuric, Ivica Dacic, Nemanja Starovic, Nenad Vujic, Zlatibor Loncar, Sara Pavkov and Tatjana Macura. Also present were Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Plamena Halacheva, Belgrade Mufti Mustafa Jusufspahic, Head of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Mission to Serbia Jan Braathu, the president of the Constitutional Court of Serbia, Vlada Petrov, the director of the Serbian RTS public broadcaster, Manja Grcic, as well as diplomats, and representatives of Serbia’s army, media, academia and the non-governmental sector.