6
May
2025
Watch
2023 and 2024 reports on Serbia (debate)
Mr. President, please. Stability in the Western Balkans is a fundamental interest of the European Union and Serbia is a key country. It is therefore in our security and strategic interest to support the country's European path. After 20 years of accession, the EU has slowly lost credibility in the region. As Patriot responsible for the report we are discussing, I see the text as unbalanced, too one-sided. There is no doubt that the country still has a lot to do in many areas, but the Serbian government's European commitment and efforts made so far should be evaluated in the areas of energy policy, family policy, visa policy or minority policy, including the situation of the Hungarian community in Vojvodina. Instead, the text focuses only on shortcomings and contains grossly unfair ideological biases. There is no room for double standards in European enlargement policy. Unfortunately, the ideological approach, the actual political interest is becoming more and more pronounced instead of neutral, performance-based evaluation. While Ukraine's accession will be put on an accelerating track, the Western Balkan candidate countries, which have been struggling for many years, will remain on the shores. Serbia's European integration can contribute to curbing illegal migration and ensuring energy supply in the long term, so it is in Europe's and Hungary's interest to have a stable Serbia committed to the EU. That is why we support Serbia's accession to the EU.