PES: Serbia, Its Citizens Stand Still on EU Path Thanks to Vucic Regime

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC)

The Platform for a European Serbia (PES) stated on July 9 that the regime of President Aleksandar Vucic was not capable of “making even a symbolic step” on the path of European integration by opening Cluster 3.

“The deception attempt by technocratic maneuvering and cheap lobbying has failed. The authorities had nothing concrete to show as a result and the consequences were unavoidable,” the PES declared in the statement. They said that the deviation from the European path was such that “it cannot be compensated for even by the best intention of the European Commission to ‘cut the regime some slack’ for geopolitical reasons.”

They went on to say that the goal was for Serbia “not to miss the momentum for joining the European Union.” “A large number of member states are not prepared to turn a blind eye to the appalling state, primarily in the rule of law, media freedom and electoral conditions in Serbia under the regime of Aleksandar Vucic, or to the foreign policy based on scam and fraud,” stated the Platform.

They stated further that the MEPs were not prepared to turn a blind eye, either, since they adopted, with a vast majority, a resolution on Serbia that has never been more critical. “The resolution very clearly cites the Serbian authorities as being responsible for such a state, for the state of democracy and blocking of Serbia’s progress on the path of European integration,” stated the Platform, which consists of the Freedom and Justice Party, the Serbia Center, the Movement of Free Citizens and the Solidarity civic movement.