The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen was welcomed at the airport by President Aleksandar Vučić, with whom she also had an official meeting.
A ceremonial reception took place in front of the Palace of Serbia, followed by a meeting between the President of Serbia and the President of the European Commission starting at 9 a.m.
After the talks, both optimistic messages and specific constructive criticisms regarding reforms were heard. The President of the European Commission said that Serbia "chose to join the EU almost two decades ago - it was a heartfelt choice and the will of the people," which is why Brussels now expects Serbia to move twice as fast along its path towards the EU.
"Now is the right moment for Serbia to take concrete steps towards accession. The first priority is to see progress in the areas of the rule of law, electronic media, and electoral legislation. These require persistence and patience... It is worth the effort because this brings you closer to your goal, and these are the foundations of a sustainable and peaceful society. I would like to acknowledge the progress regarding the electoral register and the REM Council. I am aware of the efforts everyone has made to work together - that is a good first step. Implementation is the key issue. That’s why I would like to invite you to Brussels in a month so that we can assess the situation. I must commend you for aligning 61 percent of your foreign policy with the EU. In terms of the Growth Plan, you have established a supervisory board, and I think that’s an excellent signal," said von der Leyen, underlining that the European Union’s position is clear - it stands for freedom, not repression, including the right to peaceful assembly, and partnership rather than subordination.
"This is the moment to strengthen the foundations of a vibrant and effective democracy. The EU is ready to support you and invest every necessary effort. The whole point of EU accession is to carry out reforms that ‘lift the whole society along with them’ and build a strong democracy," she concluded.
Vučić: EU membership remains a strategic commitment for Serbia
"For Serbia, membership in the European Union is a strategic commitment and a priority of foreign policy, and this will not change until the next elections, and I believe not even afterwards. Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, we have not opened a single chapter or cluster. It seems to me that recently we have made some progress, although much more still needs to be done, and we ourselves must also discuss the direction of our policies. I believe that the work done regarding the regulatory agency, electoral registers, and some other issues related to energy will receive a positive assessment,” said the President after talks with von der Leyen.
The President also stated that he is aware the EU cannot exempt Serbia, although he handed a letter to Ms von der Leyen last night requesting that Serbia be excluded from the new tariffs on steel.
"I also asked, and I believe the European Commission will find a way to ease the position of candidate countries at least slightly and provide some relief in this matter. The winter ahead will not be easy for us. We have secured large reserves, but as things stand, it will be a politically difficult winter for Serbia. On that issue, too, we will continue to work closely and, I believe, successfully with our partners from the EU. The EU is Serbia’s largest investor and trading partner. All of us in the Western Balkans are small compared with the EU," he said at the press conference in the Palace of Serbia.
As part of her visit to the Western Balkans, Ursula von der Leyen has so far met with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović, followed by an official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In a statement received by EUpravo Zato from the European Commission ahead of her visit, it was confirmed that the tour of Western Balkan countries is part of Ursula von der Leyen’s strategic priority to personally monitor their political and economic progress towards European standards.
(EUpravo zato)
