Belgrade, May 19, 2025 — Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marko Đurić, stated that Serbia’s failure to be first on the list of European Union candidate countries is mainly due to the country’s “independent” foreign policy and the deadlock in dialogue with Kosovo. He emphasized that “Serbia is hostage to the behavior of the Kurti regime,” which hinders progress in negotiations.
Speaking to Serbian broadcaster Blic TV, Đurić explained that Serbia’s delayed EU membership is not because of the quality of reforms or economic strength.
“The reasons why we are not favored as the ‘best student’ are geopolitical. We have an independent foreign policy because we maintain relations with both the East and the West. An important reason is also the state of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, where Serbia is hostage to the actions of the Kurti regime and everything they do to obstruct the dialogue,” said Đurić.
He also highlighted Serbia’s strategic position in Eastern Europe, sharing borders with eight countries.
“As an EU member, Serbia could help direct European policy toward countries with which it enjoys excellent relations, including some African states,” said the Serbian Foreign Minister.
Regarding the possibility of closing Chapter 35, which concerns Kosovo in the EU accession process, Đurić stated that the government is determined to protect and improve the status of Serbs living in Kosovo.
