New EU enlargement strategy – Serbia can no longer be blocked by bilateral disputes

The Draft Report on the EU Enlargement Strategy has been presented, stating that Europe must have a strategy, not just a one-off plan. Director of the Institute for European Studies Slobodan Zecevic points out that it is a favorable document for candidate countries, and that enlargement for the EU now means peace, stability and economic security.

The Draft Report on the Enlargement Strategy points out that some of the countries aspiring to membership have had candidate status for years, and some MEPs emphasize that Europe must have a strategy for enlargement, not just a one-off plan. The Draft also states that unresolved bilateral issues between EU member states and non-member countries should be resolved bilaterally and should not be used as a means of pressure to block the accession process of candidate countries.

Slobodan Zecevic, a guest on the RTS Morning Program, said that he had not seen such a favorable document for a long time when it comes to accepting new members.

- My impression is that the EU wants to show all the advantages of membership and to facilitate it in the coming period. It is very important that the bilateral problems that countries have, both those that are members and those that are not, cannot serve to block the admission of a new member - says Zecevic.

According to him, in the case of Serbia, this would mean that Croatia and Bulgaria would not be able to block it on its path to the EU.

- The document now emphasizes that it is not only beneficial for a candidate country to be admitted to the EU, but also for the Union itself because it contributes to peace, stability and economic development - adds Zecevic.

Speaking about the future of the EU, Zecevic says that the Union needs to be reformed, among other things in terms of migration policy, which is perceived as negative in many member states, as well as in terms of efficiency, i.e. qualified majority voting, which would also help Serbia open Cluster 3.

He notes that the area of defense also needs to be reformed, as well as increased allocations, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine.

- I think the EU has realized that it must expand to the entire continent in order to contribute to economic stability and security, and that everyone living on European soil should become a member, except Turkey, because it belongs to the Islamic culture - Zecevic believes.

He adds that Serbia needs to adopt the necessary laws to harmonize with the EU in order to be technically eligible.

- The enlargement process has become strategically important for the EU as a whole - that is the message of the European Parliament. Such a position would not be possible if there were no consensus on this issue between Germany, France and Italy, as the driving forces of the Union - Zecevic points out.