Claudia Sheinbaum’s first year tests Mexico’s new direction
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Serbia remains committed to joining the European Union, President Aleksandar Vucic said on October 6, as officials in Belgrade acknowledged that accession talks have slowed amid pressure on the country to align with EU foreign policy.
Serbia, a candidate since 2012, has opened 22 of 35 negotiating chapters but has made little progress in recent years, partly due to its reluctance to impose sanctions on Russia after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Vucic, attending a summit of the Brdo-Brioni Process in the Albanian coastal city of Durres, said enlargement must stay at the top of the EU’s agenda.
“Although numerous challenges await us, Serbia remains committed to efforts to ensure EU expansion remains one of the priorities and not a side topic,” Vucic wrote on Instagram. “The open perspectives of EU membership represent a strong driver of reforms, new investments and economic growth.”
European Integration Minister Nemanja Starovic said on October 5 that Serbia had received a “green light” from the European Commission to open Cluster 3 on competitiveness, but consensus among all 27 EU members had not been reached. He noted that Brussels has repeatedly urged Serbia to align fully with EU foreign policy.
Starovic noted that Belgrade had received at least €4bn in pre-accession funds over the past decade for some 1,500 projects, and that reforms continue despite political turbulence at home.
“Much of what we have achieved in the past 10 years would not have been possible if we were not on the path to EU membership, because we are projecting stability and predictability,” he told state news agency Tanjug.
Serbia last adopted a package of media laws in June, with further reforms of the judiciary and electoral system pending. Starovic said recent street protests had not derailed the reform process, adding that “the worst period has passed.”
Vucic said he expected the Brdo-Brioni summit to deliver “clear conclusions,” adding that only “honesty and consistency” from all sides would ensure credibility for the region’s EU integration path.
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