European Parliament adopts resolution on Serbia, demanding it imposes sanctions against Russia

Photo: Tanjug/AP

Members of the European Parliament today by a large majority approved a resolution on Serbia, which expresses support for Serbia's membership in the EU, but calls on Belgrade to urgently align with EU sanction against Russia and Belarus, and sets this as one of the conditions for further progress of Serbia on the way to EU integration.

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The report of rapporteur Vladimir Bilcik on Serbia was supported by 523 members of the European Parliament, 78 were against, while 34 abstained.

The resolution on Serbia expresses the European Parliament's support for "Serbia's future membership in the EU" - but also reminds that a credible perspective of enlargement requires engagement in necessary reforms and adherence to European standards and values.

In this year's report on Serbia, the European Parliament, in addition to the rule of law and normalization of relations with Pristina, also included alignment with sanctions against Russia as a key element that should determine the country's overall progress on the path to EU accession.

Rapporteur for Serbia Bilcik stressed that joining the EU is a "strategic decision of Serbia" and that the EP expects that "the country's political leadership will also treat it strategically."

"That is why it is important that Serbia moves towards the EU, and not to the side," said Bilcik.

The text of the resolution included amendments that say that "Serbia and Kosovo are expected to sign a legally binding agreement on the normalization of relations based on mutual recognition." That's the the first time the term "mutual recognition" has been mentioned in an official document of an EU institution as a necessary solution in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

The European Parliament reiterated its invitation to Serbia to take steps to further increase media freedom, guarantee freedom of expression, media independence and media pluralism.

European parliamentarians praised the progress achieved in Serbia in the development of a functional market economy, as well as the cooperation shown by Serbia in managing migrations.

439 amendments were submitted to the draft report on Serbia prepared by rapporteur Bilcik, and parliamentary groups adopted 40 compromise amendments that expanded the text of the report.

Adopted during a plenary session, the report of the European Parliament took the form of a resolution, which is not legally binding, but represents political guidelines for a country in the process of EU integration.

(Telegraf/Tanjug)