European Parliament calls for Serbia to tie EU funding to reform progress

The European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted a report on Serbia with a 51‑to‑14 vote. The report, to be submitted to the EP plenary, says that while Serbia continues to present EU membership as a strategic goal, there is a persistent gap between the country's legal alignment with EU rules and the actual implementation of reforms. It calls for measurable and sustainable progress in rule of law, free and fair elections, anti‑corruption measures, judicial independence, media freedom, public‑administration reform and the functioning of democratic institutions. The committee warns that any significant backsliding in the pace or intensity of reforms should be reflected in the EU pre‑accession financial assistance, and stresses that constructive engagement in the Kosovo normalization process is a condition for continued support. It also notes Serbia’s close ties with Russia and the need for full alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.

A Serbian civil‑society platform, Serbia Center, echoed the parliament’s conclusions, describing Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić as a “generator of crises” and stating that EU accession and the survival of the current regime are mutually exclusive. The platform demands the full restoration of the rule of law, independent courts and the prosecution of officials responsible for long‑term state‑resource looting before Serbia can become a full EU member. "The European path of the country will remain blocked until its political leadership shows genuine commitment to the values and obligations that stem from the accession process," the statement said.