Vula Tsetsi, co-chair of the European Green Party reacted:
“I have visited Serbia twice in the past year and witnessed first-hand the extraordinary courage of hundreds of thousands of Serbian citizens standing up for democracy, justice and accountability. Yet, instead of standing with them, the European Commission is preparing to reward Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. This is not strategic, it is a profound political mistake. Every concession made without genuine democratic reforms tells the people of Serbia that their fight for democracy matters less than short-term geopolitical interests. The European Commission must not signal that cosmetic reforms are enough while democratic standards continue to deteriorate. Europe’s credibility is on the line. Serbia’s future is in the European Union, but accession must remain a merit-based process, based on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, not on political convenience.”
Ciarán Cuffe: “Vučić has systematically undermined the rule of law, weakened democratic institutions, intimidated independent media and civil society. Vučić moved Serbia further away from the European Union’s values. Enlargement must remain a merit-based process, not bargains with Vučić just because his party SNS is an associate member party of the European People’s Party (EPP). The European Union must stand with the people of Serbia, not reward a government that continues to dismantle democracy and freedom.
