Aleksandar Vucic said his decision to attend Putin’s Victory Day parade was part of efforts to maintain ’traditional friendships.’
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Tuesday said that his country remains committed to its plan to join the European Union and wants to speed up its membership bid, after his recent trip to Russia raised eyebrows in Brussels.
Vucic visited Moscow on May 8 and May 9 to attend the “Victory Day” parade celebrating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
While there, he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
However, after a rendezvous with the president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, on Tuesday, the Serbian leader said he wanted to expedite Belgrade’s integration into the EU.
The European Council is responsible for defining the general political direction and priorities of the 27-nation bloc.
“Serbia’s political will is to accelerate its integration, to do its job. The atmosphere [in the EU] … is not exactly great, I’m convinced because of the trip to Moscow, but … I believe that Europe will have understanding for merit-based progress,” Vucic said.
Serbia has seen six months of student protests after a train station roof collapsed in the northern town of Novi Sad, resulting in the deaths of 16 people, which many in the country blamed on corruption in infrastructure construction.
The unrest has prompted Vucic to vow that his government would work to implement the reforms needed to meet the entry requirements for becoming part of the EU.
These include addressing corruption; reforming its judiciary, media, and election laws; and mending relations with its former province of Kosovo, whose independence it does not recognize.
Serbia must also recalibrate its foreign policies to gel with those laid out by the EU, including imposing sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
“A key element of our common foreign and security policy is the clear condemnation of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine and support for Ukraine in achieving a just and lasting peace,” Costa said.
EU officials had urged presidents of nations aspiring to join the union to avoid Moscow’s World War II commemorations.
By Guy Birchall
