As of: March 27, 2024, 8:03 p.m
By: Florian Naumann
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The EU does not want to lose Serbia to Russia or China.
But what is the price of containment?
Katarina Barley and an expert warn at FR.de.
Brussels/Frankfurt – The 2024 European elections will set some course.
Certainly also for the future of the EU.
Because there are some unanswered questions.
For example: Should the EU continue to expand - despite all the reservations against governments and heads of state like Serbia's Aleksandar Vučić?
Most recently, Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) paid a visit to the Serbian nationalist Vučić.
And stated the calculation quite bluntly: The strongest country in the Western Balkans, the “Gateway to the East”, should not be left to the influence of Russia or China.
When asked by
FR.de,
EU Parliament Vice President Katarina Barley (SPD) warned of dangers and imbalances in enlargement - and political scientist Vedran Džihić also chose clear words.
His fear: The European Union could bring another Orbán case into the alliance.
Putin and China are courting the Balkans – but Barley warns the EU: “Compromises will fall on our feet”
“Compromises between the EU and autocrats ultimately fall on our feet,” said Barley.
The enlargement of the EU is “an opportunity to promote peace, freedom and prosperity in Europe”.
However, the prerequisite is that all criteria relating to democracy and the rule of law are met.
Barley appealed: “There can be no shortcuts here.”
Compromises with autocrats to steal Putin's allies?
EU Parliament Vice President Katarina Barley (SPD) warns against such an approach.
© Alexander Zemlianichenko/Jonas Walzberg/dpa(2)/Montage
Whether there will be such shortcuts is still up in the air: negotiations regarding Serbia's accession to the EU are underway.
Barley at least attested that Ursula von der Leyen's EU Commission had a certain bias.
“For example, in the dispute between Serbia and Kosovo last September, the Commission unilaterally imposed sanctions only against Kosovo.
“In doing so, she sends contradictory signals,” complained the SPD politician.
Concern about Serbia's Vučić: Is the EU bringing a second Orbán case on board?
Expert Džihić can avoid overly diplomatic formulations.
“The EU must take more clear action against the authoritarian trend, draw red lines and also communicate more sharply,” he demanded in an interview with
FR.de
from
IPPEN.MEDIA
– this also applies “if Vučić steals elections”.
“In an ideal world, the turning a blind eye to this should actually stop, because it will fly back in the face of the EU like a boomerang.
See Viktor Orbán in Hungary.”
So far, the EU's political focus has clearly been on the goal of enlargement.
However, even a monetary package like the economic support plan worth six billion euros does not bring the desired results.
“It turns out that this doesn’t necessarily work,” said Džihić.
On the contrary: With regard to the EU, there is a “depressed general mood.”
The Viennese political scientist generally painted a rather bleak picture of the situation in Serbia or in Serb-dominated areas such as the Republika Srpska in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
There is a “very close proximity to Russia, in all aspects,” explained Džihić: “Authoritarian style of government, offensive action against political opponents.
Russia is seen as one of the closest allies in these regions.” Anti-Western and anti-EU attitudes are just as widespread as “bashing” against the EU and Americans;
Right-wing nationalist positions are “mainstreamed” in many places in the Balkans.
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In view of this, a “stabilocracy” that results in “compromises with autocrats” is a real danger.
Instead, Brussels should cooperate more closely with alternative political forces, with environmental or electoral protests, pro-democracy and pro-European forces.
And at the same time reform the accession process.
Džihić's formula is: “Support those who make an effort, such as Kosovo or Montenegro.
And for the others: state the problem clearly.” Germany tried to take a clearer course “at least rhetorically” after the election in Serbia, which was surrounded by accusations.
Barley is essentially d'accord, as she explained
to FR.de
: “Some countries are making enormous efforts to meet the EU's conditions.
North Macedonia even changed its name.
We must not abandon these countries on their way to the EU.” She also explicitly supported cooperation with pro-democratic forces in the civilian population.
Söder's collaboration with Vučić has hardly borne any fruit, at least for the time being.
Shortly after the appointment, Vučić threatened to
leave
the Council of Europe if Kosovo were admitted there.
When it came to Bosnia-Herzegovina, the president also used martial words: “We will fight.
Serbia will win,” he said.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbian nationalists, especially Putin's friend Milorad Dodik, have been dividing for a long time and the situation always seems explosive.
And Sarajevo will now also negotiate accession with the EU.
Barley emphasized: “We want a Europe that is based on democracy and human rights.
We have to act more consistently there.”
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