Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has said that his country remains committed to its plan to join the European Union and wants to speed up its membership application. This statement was made against the backdrop of Western discontent over the Serbian leader's trip to Moscow on May 9, UNN reports, citing Reuters.
Details
Vucic visited Russia on May 8 and 9 to attend the parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. There he also met with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
After meeting with European Council President Antonio Costa on Tuesday, Vucic said that Belgrade wants to accelerate its European integration and open more negotiating chapters with the bloc.
"The atmosphere (in the EU)... is not entirely great, I am convinced, because of the trip to Moscow, but... I believe that Europe will have an understanding of merit-based progress," he said.
Between Brussels and Moscow
Russia is a historical Orthodox ally of Serbia and a major supplier of natural gas, while Gazprom and Gazprom Neft also own the Serbian oil company NIS.
Moscow also supports Belgrade in its opposition to the independence of Kosovo, its former southern province.
Vucic, who has been troubled by anti-corruption protests led by students for several months, has promised that the government will work to implement the reforms needed to join the EU.
Serbia must eradicate corruption, reform the judiciary, media and election laws, establish ties with Kosovo and align its foreign policy with that of the bloc, including imposing sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
"A key element of our common foreign and security policy is a 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.
European Union officials have repeatedly called on the presidents of countries seeking to join the EU, including Vucic, to avoid Moscow's World War II victory celebrations. Costa said he was "happy to hear" that EU membership remains Serbia's top priority.
"What needs to be done... is media freedom, suppressing corruption and improving electoral legislation," Costa said.
Among the Western Balkan countries, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania and Bosnia have been granted candidate status for EU membership. Kosovo lags behind in this regard.
Addition
Serbian trade unions will join the protest organized by student leaders on Thursday for the first time, six months after the railway station tragedy that sparked mass anti-corruption demonstrations.