Serbia's EU accession stalls amid EU Parliament debate over opening Cluster 3

The European Parliament adopted a critical resolution on Serbia, noting significant delays, backsliding in the rule of law, media freedom and electoral standards. Reporter Tonino Picula described Serbia as a “brake” rather than a motor of EU enlargement and said eight of the 27 member states oppose opening the third negotiation cluster, which concerns competitiveness, labour and market reforms. Slovenian MEP Irena Joveva warned that the European Commission’s softer tone creates mixed messages for Serbia and stressed the need for consistent scrutiny. Serbian foreign minister Marko Djurić highlighted 23 new reform laws and urged the opening of Cluster 3, praising Hungary’s support. A student‑movement‑focused article cited the Parliament’s 468‑vote backing of the resolution, condemning repression of activists and noting that the EU has not yet opened Cluster 3. Elvira Kovač reported that Germany and France back the cluster’s opening and expect diplomatic talks to win over remaining opponents. State secretary Ivan Bošnjak called for a diplomatic offensive to persuade the dissenting EU members, emphasizing that 19 states support Serbia’s European path while eight remain skeptical.