Đilas: Given how much Serbia has paid France, it's realistic he should lead the military parade

Dragan Đilas, president of the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP), stated that 14 years ago, when the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) came to power, Serbia was a leader in European integration, with expectations of completing EU negotiations by 2018. Today, he contends, the country is "much closer to Istanbul than Brussels."

Đilas commented on President Aleksandar Vučić's attendance at a military parade in Paris as a special guest of Emmanuel Macron. "Instead of being in Brussels, Vučić is today, as Emmanuel Macron's special guest, in Paris at the military parade. Regime media are killing themselves to explain what an unprecedented thing it is that he is sitting in the front row. Given how much money Serbia has given to France, it is realistic that he should not only be sitting in the front row but should be leading the parade," Đilas said in a statement.

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Instead of being in Brussels, Vučić is today, as Emmanuel Macron's special guest, in Paris at the military parade. Regime media are killing themselves to explain what an unprecedented thing it is that he is sitting in the front row. Given how much money Serbia has given to France, it is realistic that he should not only be sitting in the front row but should be leading the parade.

He pointed to several large-scale projects involving French companies, including the construction of a waste incinerator in Belgrade, whose cost increased from 180 million to 1.2 billion euros. French firms are also involved in the metro project, which has tripled in price. Additionally, Serbia purchased Rafale fighter jets for its army and a Falcon jet for Vučić, costing over three billion euros. "The most expensive ticket for the front row of the parade in its history," Đilas added.

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Serbia's interest is to be part of Europe.

Considering the relationship between Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron towards Serbia, along with the current government's anti-European campaign, Đilas finds it understandable that support for EU membership has fallen to just 31 percent. However, he stressed that the EU should not be viewed through the lens of individual politicians but as the best place to live. He urged looking at the progress of countries like Poland, the Czech Republic, and Romania before and after joining the EU. "Serbia's interest is to be part of Europe," he stated.

Đilas concluded that without EU membership, there will be no fundamental changes, no real increase in living standards, nor improvements in healthcare or the position of businesses and farmers. He warned that the upcoming elections represent the "last chance" for Serbia to join the European train, suggesting that if this opportunity is missed, it may not come again.

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The upcoming elections will be the last chance to get on the European train. If this train passes us by, there will be no more.