European Union is preparing to cut up to 1,5 billion euros in financial aid Serbia because of concerns about the state of democracy, said the enlargement commissioner Marta Kos, reports Politico.
Serbia is facing the possibility of losing up to 1,5 billion euros from European Commission funds, which is considering suspending payments due to the decline in democracy and the country's close relations with Russia.
Although not a member of the European Union, Serbia opened accession negotiations in 2014, which enables it to access funds intended for the implementation of reforms. The decision to suspend payments would further complicate the EU enlargement process, at a time when countries such as Ukraine and Montenegro are rapidly progressing towards membership, while certain countries, such as France, are calling for caution.
"We are increasingly concerned about what is happening in Serbia — from laws that undermine the independence of the judiciary, to the crackdown on protesters, to repeated interference in the work of independent media," Kos told Politico.
The European Commission is assessing whether Serbia still meets the conditions for payments from European financial instruments. According to several EU officials, pressure within the Commission to withhold the funds has been growing in recent weeks.
The EU has already publicly criticized the judicial reforms implemented by the government of President Aleksandar Vučić, whose government is being followed by mass protests.
Photo: Tanjug/Nebojsa TejicMarta Kos
A serious step backwards for Serbia
Ambassador of Serbia to the EU and chief negotiator Danijel Apostolović said that he is "convinced that the suspension will not happen" and that Serbia is not giving up full membership in the EU. He added that Belgrade is conducting intensive discussions with the Commission.
Commissioner Kos warned that the package of laws on the reorganization of courts and the method of electing judges and prosecutors represents a "serious step backwards" for Serbia.
At the end of the month, the Venice Commission should give an expert opinion on the disputed legal changes, which could be a key signal for the eventual freezing of funds. Kos said that she will insist that Serbia harmonize the laws with the recommendations of this body.
According to Apostolović, Serbia has clearly stated that it will act on the recommendations as soon as they are published.
The EU is the largest financial donor to Serbia, which received more than EUR 586 million in grants from 2021 to 2024, while an additional EUR 1,5 billion is conditional on the implementation of reforms. According to the data of the Government of Serbia, since 2000, more than seven billion euros have arrived from EU funds and investments.
However, Serbia has long been balancing between the EU and Russia, simultaneously strengthening ties with Moscow while receiving financial aid from Brussels.
The director of the human rights organization YIHR, Sofija Todorović, assessed that media freedom and the rule of law in Serbia are "on the line" due to pressures on journalists and called on the EU to react before "total darkness sets in".
The EU's patience with Belgrade has weakened further in recent months, especially after a critical report on Serbia's progress from November, which warned of regression and an "anti-EU narrative" at the highest levels of government.
Photo: Printscreen N1European Parliament
Vučić's position towards the EU
Tensions rose further in December, when President Vučić missed the EU-Western Balkans summit. At the same time, he criticized the slow pace of membership negotiations.
In a joint text with his Albanian colleague in February, Vučić stated that Serbia would rather go towards economic integration with the EU, such as access to the single market and free movement zone, than towards full membership. Kos rejected that idea, stressing that significant reforms are necessary.
Additional criticism followed reports of violence and irregularities in local elections, as well as police action at the university during which students and police clashed.
"As a candidate country, we expect Serbia to harmonize its foreign policy with ours," said Kos.
Source: Politiko
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