The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, warned Serbia that by not implementing sanctions against Russia, the country risks its full membership in the EU.
“Serbia must change the scope of its foreign policy. Sooner or later, Serbia will need to align with the foreign policy of the EU. Otherwise, membership will be at risk,” Borrell stated.
He emphasized that Serbia cannot maintain ties with Russia while expecting EU membership.
“Compliance is the most important indicator of whether candidates share our values and political orientation,” said the head of European diplomacy.
Together with the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, Borrell presented the enlargement package approved by the European Commission (EC) yesterday.
The report on Serbia confirms that the country has not made progress in the alignment process, and maintaining relations with Russia “raises questions about Serbia’s strategic direction.”
The European Commission has approved its annual enlargement package for the ten countries involved in the enlargement process.
This is the most important document published by the EC each year, providing a detailed overview of the progress on key reforms necessary for advancement in the European integration process.
The ten countries included in the package are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Turkey.
The EC confirms that the enlargement process continues to be merit-based and depends on the objective progress of each partner.
“Democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental values will continue to be the cornerstone of the EU’s enlargement policy, and EU membership remains a strategic choice,” states the EC’s declaration.
It is confirmed that the enlargement process gained renewed momentum during 2023 and 2024.
