Belgrade, Serbia, October 15 (AP) - The European Union's chief official pressed Serbia's populist president on Wednesday to take tangible actions toward the country's goal of joining the 27-member bloc, emphasizing the need for sanctions against Russia, a longstanding ally.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged President Aleksandar Vucic to commit to democratic reforms amid allegations of suppressing protests against his increasingly authoritarian governance in this Balkan nation.
“We live in a fractured world with a widening gap between democracies and autocracies,” von der Leyen stated during a joint press conference with Vucic.
Serbia is currently the only European nation that hasn't imposed sanctions on Moscow following its war in Ukraine. Though Serbia's strategic aim is to join the EU, Vucic has both strengthened ties with Russia and China and delayed necessary democratic reforms, a requirement for EU membership.
Prolonged protests led by university students and anti-government demonstrators, coupled with government crackdowns, represent the most formidable challenge to Vucic. The protests began after a catastrophic train station canopy collapse in Novi Sad on November 1 last year, which resulted in 16 fatalities. Many in Serbia blame the tragedy on corruption-related negligence during infrastructure projects with Chinese companies.
Vucic has resisted calls for early parliamentary elections, a key demand of the protesters. Numerous individuals have been arrested or lost their jobs for participating in the protests, with accusations of police using excessive force being prevalent.
“We stand for freedom instead of oppression, including the right to peaceful assembly,” said von der Leyen.
She emphasized the need for Serbia to demonstrate concrete commitment to EU membership by advancing reforms in the rule of law, electoral processes, and media freedom.
“Alignment with EU foreign policy, especially concerning sanctions against Russia,” is essential for Serbia to be considered a reliable EU partner, von der Leyen asserted.
Serbia shares historic ties with Moscow and depends largely on Russia for energy needs. The major Serbian oil company, NIS, faces US sanctions due to its predominant Russian ownership.
Vucic predicted a challenging winter ahead and sought EU assistance to counter a potential energy crisis. He defended his government's handling of protests, asserting that police employed “minimal force” despite widespread reports of police brutality.
Von der Leyen visited Belgrade as part of her tour of Western Balkan countries aspiring to join the EU: Albania, Bosnia, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Montenegro are all at various points in the accession process.
The EU has intensified efforts to integrate the Western Balkans since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, amid concerns that Moscow could destabilize the region still scarred by the 1990s conflicts. An EU development plan offers financial aid and gradual integration into the EU market contingent on reforms. (AP)
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