In an exclusive interview with Kurir, commenting on the most recent tensions between Belgrade and Priština and the highest-level meetings, Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret said that dialogue between the two sides is the only way to resolve the open issues.
Discussing the pressure put on Serbia to impose sanctions against Russia, he noted that our country "must make additional alignments with the EU policies, including both foreign policy and the sanctions, in order to make progress in the accession." He stressed that the EU sanctions against Russia are targeted and proportionate, and that they come with an enormous price for the citizens of the EU but, he added, it is a price worth paying for freedom and peace.
As regards the messages from Croatia that it would block Serbia on its path to the EU because of bringing indictments against Croatian officers for a 1995 crime, the EU Ambassador said that "it is not easy to resolve the legacy of the past when so many tragedies have happened, and they are still raw," adding that all the parties involved should resolve them through dialogue and cooperation.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the EU has been stepping up the pressure on Serbia to impose sanctions against Russia. Many people believe that the EU accession process has new conditions for Serbia, especially with respect to its relations with Russia. Is this really the case?
"Serbia sought to accede to the European Union as an expression of its sovereign will and as a strategic goal. The EU member states agreed to work with Serbia towards that goal, so the EU supports Serbia in the process, including technical and financial aid. Having said that, there are clear conditions for each and every country that aims to join the EU, and they are no different for Serbia than for the other countries. They haven't changed. This means that Serbia should align itself with what the EU member states have agreed together and done themselves, as well as normalize the relations with Kosovo.
"The process is utterly transparent. Every year, the EU presents to the general public a comprehensive analysis of the process in its annual report. All the negotiation chapters are available for anyone to see how things stand, what happened in the previous 12 months, and what Serbia should prioritize in order to accelerate the accession process. When progress is made, clusters are opened. For instance, last December, the EU member states decided to open the negotiation Cluster 4 on Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity, containing four chapters. This took place once the EU recognized that sufficient progress had been made in aligning with the EU in the relevant areas, primarily in the rule of law.
"Russia's aggression against Ukraine has certainly moved the issues of foreign and security policies up on the agenda, but the alignment with the EU foreign and security policies is and always has been part of the accession process. Last year, Serbia put in efforts to increase the alignment of its foreign policy with the EU. In the context of the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine, which Belgrade – like Brussels – sees as a violation of international law, Serbia joined a number of important resolutions, e.g. at the UN General Assembly and other international fora. We most certainly welcome that. However, overall, a considerable drop has been registered in aligning with the EU positions. This is why we remind Serbia that in order to make progress in the accession, it must make additional alignments with the EU policies, including foreign policy and the sanctions.
"This isn't pressure, but part of the process that Serbia sought and accepted. They are perfectly normal expectations, and all relevant Serbian officials who we are in constant dialogue with know this very well."
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the EU has been stepping up the pressure on Serbia to impose sanctions against Russia. Many people believe that the EU accession process has new conditions for Serbia, especially with respect to its relations with Russia. Is this really the case?
"Serbia sought to accede to the European Union as an expression of its sovereign will and as a strategic goal. The EU member states agreed to work with Serbia towards that goal, so the EU supports Serbia in the process, including technical and financial aid. Having said that, there are clear conditions for each and every country that aims to join the EU, and they are no different for Serbia than for the other countries. They haven't changed. This means that Serbia should align itself with what the EU member states have agreed together and done themselves, as well as normalize the relations with Kosovo.
"The process is utterly transparent. Every year, the EU presents to the general public a comprehensive analysis of the process in its annual report. All the negotiation chapters are available for anyone to see how things stand, what happened in the previous 12 months, and what Serbia should prioritize in order to accelerate the accession process. When progress is made, clusters are opened. For instance, last December, the EU member states decided to open the negotiation Cluster 4 on Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity, containing four chapters. This took place once the EU recognized that sufficient progress had been made in aligning with the EU in the relevant areas, primarily in the rule of law.
"Russia's aggression against Ukraine has certainly moved the issues of foreign and security policies up on the agenda, but the alignment with the EU foreign and security policies is and always has been part of the accession process. Last year, Serbia put in efforts to increase the alignment of its foreign policy with the EU. In the context of the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine, which Belgrade – like Brussels – sees as a violation of international law, Serbia joined a number of important resolutions, e.g. at the UN General Assembly and other international fora. We most certainly welcome that. However, overall, a considerable drop has been registered in aligning with the EU positions. This is why we remind Serbia that in order to make progress in the accession, it must make additional alignments with the EU policies, including foreign policy and the sanctions.
"This isn't pressure, but part of the process that Serbia sought and accepted. They are perfectly normal expectations, and all relevant Serbian officials who we are in constant dialogue with know this very well."
What is your view on the prospects of the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština after the high-level talks last week in Brussels??
"I will quote EU High Representative Borrell: Sadly, an agreement was not reached last week, but that is not the end of the story. The process continues. The dialogue between Belgrade and Priština is the only way to solve the issues, and the leaders agreed to continue working together. EU Special Representative Lajčák was in Priština and Belgrade earlier this week, showing full commitment of the EU to facilitating the dialogue in order to find a comprehensive and mutually acceptable solution. He reiterated that all the agreements from the dialogue must be implemented, including the 2011 Agreement on the Freedom of Movement."
Boban Karović