Four political groups in the European Parliament welcomed Wednesday’s adoption of a “tough” resolution on Serbia, drafted by a group led by Croatian MEP Tonino Picula.
The European People’s Party (EPP), the largest political group in the European Parliament, stated that Serbia’s path toward European Union membership is based on merit and depends on the implementation of genuine reforms.
“These are not only accession criteria — they are reforms that will strengthen Serbia and improve the lives of its citizens,” the EPP said, according to media reports cited by KosovaPress.
In a statement from the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), the second-largest group in the European Parliament, it was emphasized that Serbian citizens are committed to democracy and a European future, while noting that the country’s president does not appear to share the same commitment.
“The EU must do the same. There should be no more EU funds for Vučić’s democratic backsliding. There should be no more tolerance for anti-European political choices. There should be no more rewards for fake reforms. Anything less than this would be a major mistake,” S&D stated.
The liberal group Renew Europe expressed a similar position, saying that a clear warning must be sent to Belgrade.
“The EU will not reward regression. Membership must be earned on merit, not given as a gift,” the group said.
Green Party co-chair Vula Tsetsi said after the resolution was adopted that “any concessions to Serbia’s authorities without genuine democratic reforms send citizens of this country the message that their struggle for democracy is less important than short-term geopolitical interests.”
The resolution adopted on Wednesday in Brussels, based on the report by the European Parliament’s Serbia rapporteur, Croatian MEP Tonino Picula, highlights, among other issues, democratic backsliding in the country and Serbia’s lack of alignment with the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.
The resolution was approved with 468 votes in favor, 16 against, and 79 abstentions.
