Strik: EU Funds for Serbia Threatened, Message to Vučić is 'Very Serious'

The European Union is signaling a serious escalation in its assessment of Serbia's progress, with MEP Tineke Strik warning that EU funds for the country are now genuinely at risk. During a session of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET), Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos highlighted Serbia's insufficient advancements in crucial areas, particularly electoral conditions and media freedom. This lack of progress has prompted the European Commission to scrutinize whether Serbia is meeting the criteria for continued financial assistance, underscoring the government's unfulfilled commitments under the Reform Agenda.

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Mislim da su sredstva za Srbiju sada zaista ugrožena. Poruka predsedniku Vučiću je da ovo postaje veoma ozbiljno. Takođe se nadam da ćemo uskoro videti i ozbiljnu odluku Komisije, za koju verujem da se može lako opravdati čvrstim argumentima.

MEP Strik, speaking with N1 Serbia, conveyed a stark message to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić: the situation has become "very serious." She emphasized that the time for further assessments and discussions is long past, and concrete actions are now imperative. Strik believes that the EU funds allocated to Serbia are indeed endangered and expressed hope for a decisive decision from the Commission, which she feels can be strongly justified.

Addressing the narrative promoted by the Serbian government that the EU aims to withhold support from its citizens, Strik countered that this is a misrepresentation. She argued that the real issue lies in Serbia's democratic backsliding. According to Strik, a significant portion of EU funds is not reaching its intended recipients or improving citizens' lives due to mismanagement and non-compliance with usage conditions. She suggested that many Serbians, though perhaps not vocalizing it publicly, would likely support measures that ensure funds are used effectively, as they currently see little tangible benefit.

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Realnost je da je ovo, takođe, posledica demokratskog nazadovanja u Srbiji – veliki deo tih sredstava, zbog lošeg upravljanja i nepoštovanja uslova vezanih za njihovo korišćenje, ne završava tamo gde bi trebalo. Ne koristi se na način koji bi zaista unapredio životne uslove građana Srbije.

Regarding the state of media in Serbia, Strik views the government's actions, particularly concerning outlets like N1, as a crackdown on independent media, rather than a dispute between private companies as the Serbian government claims. This perspective aligns with broader concerns within the EU about democratic backsliding and the rule of law in Serbia, suggesting that financial leverage may be increasingly used to push for necessary reforms.

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Da, naravno. Ali to je upravo argument koji je Viktor Orban koristio u Mađarskoj kada je preu