The messages of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, were clear this time: Serbia is at a turning point and must choose between democracy and autocracy, between the EU and Russia. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić was visibly upset
As soon as they are the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Laieeven the president of Serbia did not appear before the journalists, it was clear that Aleksandar Vučić was not satisfied. The gloomy expression on his face spoke of the fact that the conversation behind closed doors was not "friendly and cordial", but "honest and open", which translated from diplomatic language means that somewhere there is a thick squeak in relations Belgrade and Brussels.
That this is so, and where it creaks, was clear from von der Leyen's introductory sentences:
"Today we live in a fragmented world in which the gap between autocracies and democracies is widening. You know very well what the EU's position is, our position implies freedom, not repression, including the right to peaceful assembly of citizens."
Right away. The government of Serbia must stop pretending to be a democracy and implement an autocracy; The EU is not satisfied with the state of basic freedoms in Serbia, and Vučić must stop repressing dissenters and come to terms with the fact that citizens have the right to gather freely to express their dissatisfaction with his rule.
"Also, we stand for partnership instead of submission, for diplomacy instead of aggression," Von der Leyen continued.
Therefore, Russia's policy is absolutely unacceptable for the EU, and it is also unacceptable for a country that aspires to membership in the European Union to have friendly relations with Putin and Lukashenko, and Vučić could refrain from his aggressive rhetorical outbursts directed against countries in the region and the EU and pay attention to diplomatic vocabulary.
She did not come to Belgrade to "subjugate" anyone, just as Vučić's claims that the EU wants to "subjugate" Serbia are untrue, but Serbia is being offered a partnership, so if it wants it, let it act accordingly.
And if Serbia adheres to the basic principles of the Union and wants to continue with the integration process, then it will be able to count on the full support of Brussels, which, unlike Moscow, is a reliable partner in the matter of the energy crisis caused by the introduction of American sanctions on NIS.
This means that Serbia could be connected to the EU energy market, which would be the biggest guarantee for the citizens of Serbia, and that Belgrade could also count on gas purchases from the Union.
Von der Leyen has repeatedly said that "now is the right moment" for Serbia to take "concrete" steps in joining the EU.
"We need to see progress in the area of the rule of law, electronic media reform and election laws. All segments of society must be included in them," Von der Leyen underlined.
It means that Vučić is expected to cooperate with those he calls "foreign mercenaries", "spies", "blockade-terrorists"... to change election laws which, logically, are not valid, because why else would they have to be changed.
Lest she just come to criticize, the President of the EC praised Serbia's progress in updating the voter lists (which, admittedly, is quite questionable) and in relation to the REM Council (which is even more questionable).
There was, of course, talk of greater alignment of Serbia's foreign policy with the EU's foreign and security policy, expectations that Serbia would finally break away from the embrace of Russia and China.
"We want to be able to count on Serbia as a reliable partner," said Von der Leyen, thus making it clear that at the moment the EU does not see Vučić's Serbia as a reliable partner.
And the EU has 100 million euros ready to come to Serbia's aid as part of its support for the Western Balkans, and work is also underway to integrate Serbia into the EU's unique payment system.
"We show with actions that we want Serbia in the EU, now we want to see that Serbia also shows the same commitment with actions," Von der Leyen warned, which means that the members of the European Commission have finally had enough of Vučić's empty talk about commitment to European integration, while in practice he is doing the opposite.
"Strengthening democracy" as key to Serbia's relations with the EU was emphasized several times in the presence of Vučić, who boasts that Serbia is a world champion in democracy.
"Come to Brussels in a month to see how things are," said the German politician, which did not sound like a friendly invitation and support for Vučić, but rather a term for settling accounts.
The President of Serbia was not at all comfortable with all this. Faced with the questions of the journalist of the "enemy" Radio Free Europe, he addressed his voters in a somewhat lofty tone - that the Serbian police were not at all brutal, but wonderful and tolerant towards the protesters.
But that was all. Nothing from beating unfit journalists, endless insulting tirades, blanket accusations, not even a word about the "colored revolution" that, of course, in Serbia, as they say, is being led by some villains from the West, that "European scum".
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