EU expansion commissioner urges Serbia to push for reforms, saying protests against citizens' hopes
Belgrade, Serbia (AP) – The EU's expansion commissioner urged the new Serbian government on Tuesday to push for democratic reforms needed by members of the group, saying protesters in Balkan countries have been seeking similar changes.
Marta Kos, a political newbie who took office earlier this month, faced months of anti-corruption demonstrations caused by a concrete-style roof at the railway station, died in November and killed 16 people in November.
Many in Serbia blamed the crash of the northern city of Novi Sad on government infrastructure and rampant corruption in China, although China, along with Russia, is a close ally of Belgrade, despite its formal intention to join the EU. Student-led protests demand justice for the rule of law for victims and the country.
Kos said the EU had a “had ever had the opportunity to complete European unification” and hoped to accept Serbia and other candidates in the western Balkans. But she said Serbia must first reform the judiciary to fight corruption and ensure free press and fair elections.
“Without these changes, Serbia will not be able to progress on the European road, and I know our demands are very close to those of citizens protesting on the streets of Serbia,” Kos said. “Serbia, a Democratic Party within the EU, is possible, and it is what Serbian citizens demand and deserve.”
Kos also met with Serbian populist president Aleksandar Vucic on Tuesday, who faced charges of stifling democratic freedoms, including pressure to protest students. In the latest incident with Novi Sad on Monday, police officers used batons and pepper spray while pushing protesters open the physical education teacher building. Several people were injured.
Many pro-democracy Serbs are disappointed by their lukewarm reactions to the increasingly authoritarian approach of Vucic. A group of students traveled to Strasbourg, France on bicycles, while others are currently running towards Brussels to draw the EU's attention to their struggle for justice and the rule of law in Serbia.
“I will support the European aspirations of Serbia and its citizens,” Kos said. “We hope and hope that the Serbian government will do its best, too.”
