Brussels without hearing for Serbian students
With the arrival of Serbian students of ultramarathoners in the Brussels European quarter, a nearly 2000 kilometer -long protest relay, which began on 25 April in Novi Sad, ended. With the run, as before by cycling in Strasbourg, they want to make it more heard in the EU institutions, their voice and the requirements set by the Serbian authorities.
Shortly after 7pm, runners came into the enthusiastic crowd at the Schuman roundabout and shouted a slogan of the demonstration: Pumpai! Corruption is present in Serbia everywherethe students warned. We no longer want to prepare for eviction suitcases, the second continued. Raise your voice. Marathon against corruption was written on one of the banners.
So far, there has not been much ear for students in Brussels. For European Commission President Ursulo von der Leyen and President of the European Council Antónia Costo is an interlocutor Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic. Students have some meetings in Brussels with representatives of the EU institutions, and will also be present in the European Parliament at the Subcommittee of Human Rights. Thursday with a commissioner colleague responsible for youth will be Glennom Mikallef, adopted by the Commissioner to expand Marta Kos.
European Council President António Costa will meet with Alexander Vucic today in Belgrade. Photo: Simon Wohlfahrt/Reuters
President Vucic for official Brussels structures remains a leader who can still lead Serbia on a European path if he decides to provide the rule of law, media freedom, honest elections… It was obvious, for example, for dinner Ursule von der leyen and Coste in March in Brussels. This belief is not undermined by the history of Vucic’s activity or his behavior in recent months. Portuguese socialist Costa has already made a tour of the Western Balkans. He will meet with Vucic in Belgrade today.
« Vucic’s participation (at the parade in Moscow) means supporting the war crimes of Putin and the Russian army, » 32 MEPs assessed in the European Council President.
Especially in the European Parliament, there are many criticism. Eater Riho Terras From the center -right EPP, he prepared a letter from a group of MPs with a call for Costi to cancel the visit. He was pointed to the dimensions of Vucic’s participation on Putin A military parade in Moscow. « This is the army that continues war crimes in Ukraine and has been killing Ukrainians every three years, » they wrote. More than 30 signatories, including Irena Jovev (Freedom), is a Costo warning that such visits are not a naked formality. “They are actions of support. Vucic’s participation means the support of the war crimes of Putin and the Russian army, « they estimated. He should condemn such behavior, and visit Costa will have the opposite effect – « he will signal the support of Vucic’s subdiction. »
European rules should also apply to European policy. Photo: Peter Žerjavič/Work
The estimated half a billion
In Brussels, Vucic warned Vucic before leaving for Moscow that Serbia would feel the consequences of this. What you could do is not certain. For Belgrade, a growth plan in the Western Balkans is foreseen half a billion euros in grants and loans. For now, Serbia has not received a prepayment worth around € 110 million.
Filip Markovic. Photo: Peter Žerjavič/Work
Student Runner: « We will not stop »
“It was wonderful. We were well received in each city, « described his feelings of an electrical engineering from Belgrade at the finish of the ultramarathon in Brussels Filip Markovic. The hardest was the first day they ran to Osijek was raining and they had not yet been played. “I can’t believe we are at the end. I got new families between runners and in every city where we were. We have shown that we are ready to do everything for our goals. We will not stop until our request is met, « he said.
In any case, Belgrade will not be able to open new negotiating chapters on the way to the EU. This was not succeeded in December, but today there are reasons for de facto Freezing the accession process even more.
Politics warned Vucic against a visit to Moscow, but now he shows another face. Photo: Peter Žerjavič/Work
For the Nordic and Baltic Member States, Vucic’s treatment of departure to Putin is unacceptable. The official line of the European Commission is that Russia has taken advantage of the end of the end of World War II for propaganda and justifying the attack on Ukraine. Therefore, we should not give legitimacy to aggression. Swedish Minister of European Affairs Jessica Rosencrantz She estimated that during the war against Ukraine, relations with Russia could not be normal. Candidates for membership should otherwise coordinate their values and EU foreign policy, including sanctions. However, Vucic does not care about such EU expectations.
Serbian students in Brussels. Photo: Peter Žerjavič/Work
Costa will host dinner with leaders of six Western Balkans on Thursday. It will take place on the eve of Friday’s summit of leaders of the European political community – a forum within the EU and other countries of the old continent. Even at the top in the Albanian capital, the expansion will be among the main topics. Proponents of expansion want to take advantage of a new impetus that occurred after the Russian attack on Ukraine. Albania and Montenegro are the fastest along the way. Serbia stopped on this route before the demonstrations after demolition of the canopy at the railway station in Novi Sad. Moldova and Ukraine are also enthusiastic about the implementation of reforms.
Serbia is supposed to feel the consequences of Vucic’s path to Moscow.
Expansion Commissioner Marta Kos will accept students on Thursday.
Serbian progress on the EU’s journey is already de facto stopped.
Serbian students in Brussels. Photo: Peter Žerjavič/Work
