Eight European Union member states have opposed opening Chapter 3 in Serbia’s EU accession negotiations, preventing Belgrade from receiving approval for another step toward membership, according to reports from diplomatic sources.
During today’s meeting of EU ambassadors within the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) in Brussels, no green light was given for Serbia to advance with the opening of the chapter, Serbian media outlet Savremena Politika reported, citing Danas.
The countries opposing the move include the Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Sweden, and the three Baltic states : Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia.
The main reasons cited by these countries were concerns over the state of the rule of law in Serbia, as well as Belgrade’s insufficient alignment with the EU’s foreign and security policy, particularly its refusal to impose sanctions on Russia following its aggression against Ukraine.
The decision highlights growing concerns within the EU over Serbia’s democratic standards, foreign policy direction, and its continued balancing between Brussels and Moscow.
The issue of opening Chapter 3 is expected to return to the agenda at another COREPER meeting next week, followed by the EU General Affairs Council meeting scheduled for July 14. However, diplomatic sources suggest there is little likelihood that the opposing states will change their position.
