The European Parliament expressed deep regret over Serbia’s failure to join the sanctions imposed against Russia by the European Union.
The EP’s draft resolution says that its failure to align with EU foreign policy damages Serbia’s EU accession process. It added that candidate countries are expected to align with the EU acquis communitaire, as well as with the Union’s common foreign and security policy.
The draft resolution condemns the countries and individuals who lent support to Russia’s aggression on Ukraine and praised the support to Ukraine by Western Balkan EuroAtlantic allies.
Also, MEPs Vladímir Bilčík and Tanja Fajon said on Tuesday they expected Serbia to fully align with the EU’s common foreign and security policy, including imposing sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime over its aggression against it Ukraine.
Bilčík, EP rapporteur for Serbia, and Fajon, head of the EP delegation for relations with Serbia, said in a joint statement that they „see it as an important and urgent signal that Serbia supports EU principles and values and is committed to working with European partners for peace.“
The draft resolution condemns Russia’s military aggression on Ukraine as well as the involvement of Belarus and calls Moscow to immediately cease its operations and withdraw military and paramilitary forces and equipment from Ukraine.
The Serbian authorities said last week that official Belgrade supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty but will not impose sanctions against Russia.
Also, the Serbian Parliament Speaker, Ivica Dacic, has confirmed that the Serbian delegation at the UN General Assembly will vote in line with the stand adopted by the Council for National Security and the government not to impose sanctions on Russia over its military operation in Ukraine.
(Blic, 01.03.2022)
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