“Resisted EU pressure”: European Parliament doubts Serbia’s commitment to European integration perspective

The European Parliament believes that closer ties between Serbia, Russia and China cast doubt on Belgrade’s commitment to a European perspective. These findings are contained in a brief overview of the EP on Serbia, which RT reviewed.

Experts believe that such a situation could have arisen amid discontent of the Belgrade leadership with the pace of progress towards EU membership.

“Russia is Serbia’s traditional geopolitical ally, and in the past Moscow provided diplomatic support (for example, supporting Serbia’s non-recognition (independence. - RT ) of Kosovo), as well as investment, economic and military assistance. Serbia, in turn, resisted EU pressure exerted to force Serbia to impose sanctions against Russia in connection with its aggression in Ukraine, ”the EP says.

At the same time, European experts recall that in case of accession to the European Union, Belgrade will have to cancel any bilateral agreements with other countries.

Earlier, experts from the Institute for Security Studies in the European Union also expressed concern about Russia's “influence” in the Western Balkans. In particular, it was about “Russian tactics of destabilization” in the region.

“Separation of Serbia from Russia”

The European Parliament is also worried about Russian-Serbian military interaction. So, analysts point to the resolution of the European Parliament in 2018, which already called for following European principles of security and foreign policy.

“The resolution of the (European. - RT ) Parliament of 2018 on Serbia criticized Serbia’s military cooperation with Russia and urged it to bring its foreign and security policies in line with EU policies,” the document states.

In addition, it is noted that the European Parliament expressed concern about Serbia's dependence on Russian gas supplies. It is worth noting that the President of Serbia, Alexander Vucic, advocates for the supply of Russian gas to the republic and the implementation of the Turkish Stream project.

In turn, RT experts are convinced that such documents testify to the pressure that is now being put on Serbia by the European Union.

Igor Shatrov, deputy director of the National Institute for the Development of Modern Ideology, said in an interview with RT that the EU sees its goal as “separating Serbia from Russia” and thereby depriving Russia of a benevolent partner in the Balkans.

“Such publications and reports that are being developed have as their goal pressure on Belgrade to abandon policies aimed at cooperation with Russia and completely reorient themselves towards European cooperation,” Shatrov emphasized.

According to him, Serbia today is "the last Balkan country, which so vividly and independently follows the course towards cooperation with Russia."

• Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with Serbian President Alexander Vučić in Belgrade
• Reuters
• © Maxim Shipenkov / Pool

However, the head of the Center for Ethnic and Political Conflicts of the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences Pavel Kandel, in an interview with RT, suggested that despite the pressure exerted, Serbia will now not accept the conditions of the European Union.

“Firstly, it (Serbia. - RT ) is not profitable for her. Secondly, they demand a lot of things from her, but in return they offer nothing. The policy of the leadership of Serbia is that you first agree with us about the reception (in the EU. - RT ), then we will already fulfill your conditions. The pressure will be exerted, of course, constantly, but I think that the Serbian leadership will not do it now, ”said Kandel.

This is not the first time Brussels has spoken about obstacles to Serbia’s accession to the EU. Thus, analysts of the research service of the European Parliament previously reported on the risk of “authoritarianism” in Serbia.

European crisis

European analysts also note: despite the fact that the legislation of Serbia was partially brought into line with the legal norms of the European Union, strategic competition between world powers can disrupt the country's accession to the EU planned for 2024.

“However, despite some progress in the matter of political criteria and the rule of law, for example, ongoing constitutional reform aimed at bringing the constitution (Serbia. - RT ) in line with European standards, strategic competition between world powers is intensifying and could negate all efforts as part of the accession process, ”the document says.

• Reuters
• © Marko Djurica

The reason for the delay in the processes of accession of Serbia to the European Union is that most Western European countries - members of the European Union themselves are not interested in expanding the EU today. This opinion was expressed in a conversation with RT by Pavel Kandel.

“The fact is that most Western European countries, which are the main donors of the European Union, and, accordingly, donors of the upcoming expansion, are completely not interested in this expansion,” the expert emphasized.

He recalled how, at the last EU summit, France and Holland blocked the expected decision on negotiations with Macedonia and Albania on EU accession.

Shatrov stressed that a similar situation indicates a crisis within the European Union.

“When Brussels, in addition to regulating economic relations, assumed the role of political arbiter, this began to raise questions not only among the“ new countries ”, but even among the representatives of old Europe. In fact, Rome also opposes Brussels’s anti-Russian foreign policy, other European states have questions that cannot be attributed to the former socialist camp or some historical sympathizers of Russia, ”the expert said.

At the same time, Shatrov did not rule out the prospects for Serbia's accession to the European Union. However, according to him, for this the EU will need to “change approaches to the definition of the foreign policy of member states.”