European Serbia Coalition: Serbia Could Fast-Track EU Membership but Regime Refuses

Marinika Tepic (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC)

Marinika Tepic, one of the candidates of the oppositional European Serbia coalition, said on Sept. 30 that Serbia could accelerate its path to EU membership should the regime she dubbed “criminal” be removed and “the reforms the regime has been eschewing for years finally commence.”

“Serbia has been negotiating membership since 2014 and, in 12 years, we have closed only two of 35 negotiation chapters. The problem isn’t that Europe doesn’t want Serbia. The problem is that this regime doesn’t want European rules and order in Serbia, because it would first have to arrest itself,” Tepic said in a statement released by European Serbia.

Tepic stressed that Serbia’s European path is primarily stalled by issues with the rule of law, corruption, the destruction of state institutions and suppressed media freedom.

“You can’t simultaneously claim that you are leading Serbia toward the EU and run from the rules the EU – and the entire civilized world – is based on. An independent judiciary, free media, combating corruption and the equal application of the law to all are not roadblocks on the path toward Europe – they are the path toward Europe,” Tepic stated.

According to her, the European Serbia ticket rejects the image of Serbia “forever knocking on the EU’s door.”