Going from one opposing camp to another, Serbian President Aleksandr Vučić pleaded for an expedited accession to the European Union in front of the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, on Tuesday, just days after standing side by side with Kremlin officials at Moscow’s “Victory Day” military parade.
His decision to appear in Red Square alongside Russian strongman Vladimir Putin and his Eastern allies ruffled the feathers of Europe’s leadership, making it particularly awkward for Vučić to then talk about EU membership prerequisites such as alignment with European democratic values, fighting corruption and imposing sanctions on Russia.
“The atmosphere (in the EU) ... is not exactly great,” Vučić said on Tuesday. “I’m convinced because of the trip to Moscow, but I believe that Europe will have understanding for merit-based progress,” he said.
Serbia has been more or less fast-tracked to join the now 27-member bloc, along with other Balkan nations such as Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Brussels has applauded the extent to which Ukraine has met its benchmarks along the road to membership, but is taking a cautious approach as peace talks with Russia unfold.
Serbia has a historic partnership with Russia, which defended Belgrade’s interests during a NATO bombing campaign of the capital in 1995. The former Yugoslavian capital was liberated from Nazi control by Soviet troops in World War II, and the two Orthodox countries have always had close ties.
By the way, Serbia is still largely dependent on Russian energy. Russia’s largest company, Gazprom, and its subsidiary Gazpromneft, are owners of Serbia’s NIS oil company.
Vučić traveled to Russia on May 8 and 9 for a parade marking the 80th anniversary of his victory in World War II. He met with Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying he had “made a promise to Putin” to do so.
Visiting Belgrade beforehand to discuss Vučić’s Moscow visit, Costa said he understood the Serbian leader’s decision to “celebrate an event from the past,” and explained: “We cannot rewrite history, and [we] fully understand that Serbia celebrates [its] liberation” by Soviet troops… “But we cannot celebrate the liberation 80 years ago and not condemn an invasion of another country today.”
Going forward, Costa said, Serbia must root out corruption, reform its media and election laws, mend ties with Kosovo (also an EU candidate, although the bloc does not officially recognize its independence from Serbia) and align its foreign policies with those of European parliament, including imposing sanctions against Russia.
“A key element of our common foreign and security policy is the clear condemnation of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine and support for Ukraine in achieving a just and lasting peace,” Costa said through an interpreter.
Costa said he “was glad to hear” that EU membership remains Serbia’s first priority.
“What needs to be done ... it is freedom of the media, suppression of corruption and improvement of the electoral law.”