The Ambassador of the European Union (EU) in Serbia, Emanuele Žiofre, said this evening that the EU expects that Serbia will speed up elementary reforms regarding the rule of law and the situation in the media and that progress will be made in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, reports Anadolia.
At the opening of the EU manifestation “Opportunities Week”, Žiofre pointed out that the rule of law, the fight against corruption and organized crime in Serbia are extremely important for the EU.
He said that reforms are always and everywhere met with resistance and pointed out that Serbia “is not alone, because the EU is dedicated to supporting Serbia, because we care about Europe, Serbia and its citizens.”
Žiofre pointed out that the EU hopes that Serbia becomes a member of the EU not only because it is a common interest, but because the EU counts on Serbia to make Europe stronger, fairer, with greater sustainable development and a more prosperous continent in the future.
“Serbia, you can count on Europe. Serbia, Europe is counting on you,” said Žiofre.
Speaking about the EU, Prime Minister Ana Brnabić emphasized that Serbia wants to be part of that unique economic, political and security project to which it belongs due to its geography, culture, history, tradition and value system.
She said that Serbia is in many respects a part of the common European space and pointed out that the EU is the biggest investor in Serbia and “by far the most important” economic partner and financial donor.
Brnabić stressed that Serbia’s views on all the most important political issues, such as the conflict in Ukraine, are absolutely no different from the EU’s and that “Serbia provides sincere and principled support to Ukraine, its integrity and territorial integrity and sovereignty”.
Speaking about Belgrade’s dialogue with Pristina, Brnabić emphasized that “Serbia’s greatest desire, interest and first priority is peace”.
She asked the EU to help Serbia preserve peace and to ensure that Serbs in Kosovo live without fear of “daily torture, arrests, mistreatment and brutal treatment”.
Brnabić asked EU partners to show that they stand behind the principle of the rule of law and full respect for international agreements and that “finally, after more than 10 years, the Brussels Agreement is implemented and the Union of Serbian Municipalities is established.”
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