Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said today that his country is the most will probably not become a member of the EU in 2028, when several other countries from the Western Balkans hope to join, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
„I do not believe that we will be part of the EU in 2028,”, Vucic said on a panel at the Globsec security conference in Prague. “It will not happen (EU membership). "I am not lying to my people," said the Serbian president.
According to him, none of the countries hoping for early membership in the EU will achieve this before 2030. “(…), but this is only my assessment“, said the Serbian president and added: “ What can happen in the meantime, no one knows”.
In order to join the EU, Serbia must implement democratic reforms, improve the rule of law, the judiciary, the economy and eradicate corruption and organized crime, according to Reuters.
Serbia balances between the pursuit of EU membership and strong ties with Russia, which supplies it with natural gas and support against Kosovo's declared independence in 2008, the agency said.
Serbia has repeatedly condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and supplies Kiev with artillery ammunition, but has not joined the European sanctions against Moscow, Reuters recalls.
On the same panel at the Prague conference, Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović expressed hope that his country, already a member of NATO, will join the EU by 2028.
„We would like to reach the final phase and now the goal is to become the 28th member of the EU in 2028. This is an ambitious goal and I very much hope it is realistic,” Milatovic said, quoted by Reuters.