< p>Eight member states, one of them and Bulgaria, blocked the opening of a new chapter of Serbia's negotiation process for membership in the European Union. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced this in Zurich, reports BGNES.
Bulgaria, Croatia, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were against the opening of the third chapter.
The main reason for concern of the mentioned countries is the obvious lack of coherence of Belgrade with the foreign policy of the EU. Serbia categorically did not join the sanctions packages voted by the European Union on the Russian Federation over the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has been going on for the third year, and proclaimed its "neutrality".
In announcing the news, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he still had a week to make a final decision, expecting in the coming days "our Hungarian friends" to ask the question again. Hungary is currently the rotating EU president, and the next debate on the opening of the chapter can be held on December 11. According to the State Radio-Television Company of Serbia, even at the level of ambassadors, there is no necessary consensus on this topic.
Aleksander Vucic also said that as long as he is president, Serbia will remain militarily neutral and there will be no recognition of Kosovo's independence. He has two years until the end of his term.
"The government wants an isolated and dark Serbia where they can stay in power. Vucic led Serbia to this situation. "Because of their bloody hands, the general theft by the government and the isolation of Serbia, this regime must go and its leaders must be held accountable in court," commented opposition MP Borko Stefanovic. Vucic and his regime are to blame for blocking European integration, according to Stefanovic, who blames the Serbian Progressive Party and Vucic for ties to organized crime and the mafia, corruption and lack of reforms.