European Council chief António Costa on Tuesday, May 13th, insisted that Serbia was fully committed to the EU accession process, despite the country’s president visiting Moscow last week.
Aleksandar Vučić attended the May 9 celebrations to mark 80 years since the victory over Nazi Germany, even after EU warnings that doing so would not be viewed favourably.
Serbia has been an EU candidate country since 2012, but has maintained a close relationship with Russia since the invasion of Ukraine and refuses to impose sanctions, unlike the European Union it hopes to join.
“We cannot celebrate the liberation 80 years ago and not condemn the invasion of a country today,” Costa said at a joint press conference with Vučić, adding that Serbia is aware that, on the path to EU membership, it must align with the EU’s foreign and security policy.
Vučić said, “Serbia today and Serbia tomorrow is on the European path. I accept criticisms. Serbia in Europe is our path, it is our goal, it is our political will.” Robert Fico, the prime minister of Slovakia, and the only EU leader to attend the Moscow celebrations, was less sympathetic to EU criticism, saying he is is “the legitimate Prime Minister of Slovakia—a sovereign country,” and “no one can dictate to me where I can or cannot travel.”
