The European Parliament adopted a report on Wednesday that sharply criticizes the authorities in Serbia, calls on Belgrade to align its foreign policy with the EU, and condemns the Serbian authorities of President Aleksandar Vučić for attacks on protesters and the opposition.
The report, prepared by Croatian MEP Tonino Picula, the European Parliament's standing rapporteur for Serbia, expresses concern about the state of democracy and the rule of law and calls on Belgrade to improve internal political dialogue, normalize relations with Kosovo and fully align with EU foreign policy.
MEPs adopted the report with 419 votes in favour, 113 against and 88 abstentions.
The report deplores the fact that Serbia continues to maintain close relations with Russia and the continued decline in public support for EU membership in Serbia with increasing support for the Putin regime. The report assesses that such a situation is the result of long-term anti-European and pro-Russian rhetoric of the government-controlled media.
Russia is using its influence in Serbia to try to destabilize neighboring sovereign states, interfere with them and threaten them, and threaten the European future of Serbia, while Serbia is trying to establish a sphere of influence that undermines the sovereignty of neighboring countries, it is noted.
Serbia must refrain from influencing the domestic politics of neighboring Western Balkan countries, including in relation to the unconstitutional celebration of Republika Srpska Day in Bosnia and Herzegovina and questioning court decisions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the EP says.
MEPs adopted the report as Serbia is rocked by protests and counter-protests organized by the government over the accident at the Novi Sad railway station on November 1, 2024, in which 16 people died.
The EP is calling for a full and transparent judicial process following the investigation by the competent authorities and stresses that it is necessary to examine in a broader sense the extent to which corruption led to the lowering of safety standards and contributed to this tragedy, which is also the demand of the student-led protesters, some of whom followed the debate in Strasbourg.
The fall of the canopy showed Serbia's problems
Picula, presenting the report on "Commission report on Serbia for 2023 and 2024." on Tuesday evening at the plenary session of the Parliament in Strasbourg, assessed that "the fall of the canopy on the station building in Novi Sad has become a tragic symbol of systemic corruption, nepotism and inadequate control mechanisms that should protect citizens".
"Today we are discussing a situation in a country where the electoral legislation has serious shortcomings, the media is generally not free or accessible to everyone, where the regulatory body for the media does not function, the judiciary distributes justice selectively, and those who point out problems are exposed to public attacks," Picula summarized some of the main remarks of the report.
"The personal data of protesters is being made public, unidentified illegal means are being used against them, which are then investigated by Russian services, EU citizens are being detained and expelled from the country due to their status on social media, and EU member states and their officials are being accused of being behind the so-called color revolution."
"In addition, Serbia consistently refuses to align with the geopolitical determination of the EU and impose sanctions on Russia, while the UN votes are justified as a mistake. There is a lack of ensuring the independence of key institutions, including media regulators such as the Electronic Media Regulatory Authority," continued Picula.
HDZ MEP Davor Ivo Stier supported the report before the club of the European People's Party and said that "a clear and unambiguous rejection of the dangerous geopolitical concept of the so-called 'Serbian world', the conclusions of the 'All-Serbian Parliament', which undermine the sovereignty of neighboring countries, is expected from the authorities, and from critics of the authorities as well."
The authorities in Serbia are expected to fully align with the EU's foreign policy," said Stier and added: "We are celebrating Europe Day, not Putin's parade."
His party colleague Tomislav Sokol said that "Serbian hegemonism is a much deeper problem than Vučić himself". "Until Serbia goes through a real catharsis and faces its own failures and illusions in Southeast Europe, unfortunately, there will be no peace. This kind of Serbia has no place in the European Union," said Sokol.
Stephen Nicola Bartulica (DOMiNO/ECR) told students from Serbia in his speech: "It is good that you stand up for European values, and for you this also means reconciliation with Croatia and an admission of guilt for everything that was done to our people in the 1990s."
Students from Serbia in Strasbourg and Brussels
The discussion was followed by a group of students from Serbia, who are running from Belgrade via Strasbourg to Brussels, where they are expected to meet with officials from European Union institutions and present their demands.
Previously, in mid-April, a group of students arrived in Strasbourg on bicycles and were welcomed by Croatian Green MEP Gordan Bosanac, Slovenian MEP Irena Joveva, and French MEP and former mayor of Strasbourg, Fabienne Keller.
On Tuesday, Bosanac handed over a letter from students to the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, in which they presented the demands they are making to the Serbian authorities and described the situation in Serbia.
The students running from Serbia are expected to arrive in Strasbourg on Wednesday evening and in Brussels early next week, where they are scheduled to be interviewed at the Brussels headquarters of the Parliament.
Protests are changing attitudes towards Serbia
The European Parliament has so far been the harshest in its criticism of Aleksandar Vučić's government, but other EU institutions have been more restrained in their statements.
Picula's report "expresses concern" about the Commission's conciliatory approach towards Serbia in the context of its year-long regression in the areas of the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights, as well as its destabilizing influence on the entire region.
It calls on the Commission to use clearer language towards Serbia, including at the highest level, and to consistently address the significant shortcomings, lack of progress and even regression, thereby respecting the fundamental values of the EU.
Picula told Hina that so far in Brussels, Vučić has been considered a credible interlocutor, "the only political point in Serbia that decides everything," partly thanks to the political failures of the Serbian opposition.
"Every crisis in Serbia and around Serbia has influenced the need for Brussels to turn to Vučić and try to find some solution, which is simply a fallacy, but which is obviously difficult to give up. However, this multi-vector foreign policy that Aleksandar Vučić continued to implement after it was articulated by Boris Tadić, is objectively in trouble. Because the very centers of power that the Serbian leadership relies on have come into conflict with each other. And of course, this must be reflected in some way in the international position of Serbia itself." hold Picula.
"We are now seeing the last episode of that attempt to impose Vučić as someone who easily talks to both the West and the East, which simply cannot be maintained either operationally or politically. But some habits from the West are difficult to change," says the SDP MEP.
"It seems to me that we are now slowly entering a phase in which Vučić will not only have problems on the domestic political level, given the six months of constant protests and dissatisfaction, not only among students but also among a wide circle of the Serbian population. He is no longer seen as a partner as he was perhaps three or four years ago. Both in Brussels and in Washington," Picula notes.
The Bosnian agrees that the perception of the situation in Serbia in the EU institutions is slowly changing. "When we go back six months from von der Leyen's speech with Vučić at the joint press conference, where she admires him, things have changed a lot. Commissioner Kos has already said what the students are asking for, the European Union is also asking for it".
"I think Vučić has simply lost his credibility and compass. He has ended up in this dead end of political commerce and I think the ground is shaking under his feet, especially now that this request for early elections has come," Bosanac told Hina.
"Although students, peasants, workers, artists have been on the streets in huge numbers for months, their voices were not taken seriously until recently. Three weeks ago, students rode bicycles from Novi Sad to this house to be heard. A group of students, as we heard, are running, some of them are here with us. Today, their voice is much stronger, and this report also recognizes that Serbia still has an alternative that cares about justice and European values. The policy of trading lithium, fighter jets, and expensive tickets for MAGA events is slowly collapsing," Bosanac said in a debate in Strasbourg.
Photo: EPA/RONALD WITTEK
