Sandro Gozi: Vučić cannot ask for Europe while dismantling democracy
The European Democratic Party welcomes today’s adoption by the European Parliament of its resolution on Serbia, approved with 468 votes in favour, 116 against and 79 abstentions.
The vote sends a clear message: Serbia’s European future remains open, but it must be based on democracy, rule of law, media freedom and fundamental rights.
Despite opposition and abstentions from the far right and parts of the radical left, a broad pro-European majority stood with Serbian citizens, students, journalists, civil society and democratic forces. When democracy is under pressure, the extremes choose ambiguity. The pro-European majority chose Serbia’s European future.
Sandro Gozi, Secretary-General of the European Democratic Party, said: “The European Parliament has confirmed what many Serbian citizens, students, journalists and democratic forces have been saying for months — and what we, as European Democrats, have consistently repeated: the main obstacle to Serbia’s European future is not Serbia. It is Aleksandar Vučić’s regime. After 14 years in power, President Vučić claims Europe as a strategic objective while weakening European democracy at home. You cannot ask for EU money, EU legitimacy and EU benefits while manipulating elections, capturing the media, intimidating protesters and allowing corruption to remain embedded in the system. Today, Europe did not confuse stability with democracy. A broad pro-European majority made clear that real stability in Serbia can only come from free elections, independent institutions, an independent judiciary and a free public debate.”
The resolution expresses deep concern over Serbia’s political crisis, the deterioration of the rule of law, pressure on peaceful protesters, activists and journalists, and the lack of progress on key reforms. It also calls for EU funding to be strictly linked to concrete progress.
Gozi added: “At the Tivat Summit, Serbia was given three clear priorities: an independent judiciary, free elections and media freedom. Cosmetic changes are not enough. Serbia belongs to Europe. But Serbia’s European future must be built with its citizens, not negotiated above their heads with a regime that represses them. Europe must stand with the Serbian people, not with Vučić’s system.”
The European Democratic Party calls on the Commission and the Council to ensure that Serbia’s accession process remains credible, conditional and fully rooted in the Union’s democratic values.
Serbia belongs to Europe. Vučić’s regime does not.
