European Parliament sends mission to Serbia, Ceci: We no longer trust Vučić

Vula Ceci, Co-Chair of the European Green Party, has said that the upcoming mission of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) to Serbia will represent an important form of political pressure and solidarity with Serbian citizens, both toward EU institutions and the authorities in Belgrade.

Speaking to N1 television, Ceci stated that the parliamentary delegation, expected to visit Serbia at the end of January, aims to send a clear message to official Brussels to stop viewing Serbia solely as a geopolitical factor and instead focus on the realities faced by its citizens and, as she put it, the “repression that exists in the country.”

According to Ceci, the mission stems from a resolution adopted by the European Parliament in October, which explicitly called for a parliamentary delegation to travel to Serbia to assess the situation on the ground, monitor the implementation of reforms, and engage with citizens about the rule of law, protests, the suppression of demonstrators, and media freedom.

“We want awareness of what is happening in Serbia, and we want change. That change will not come from Brussels, but from Serbia itself. At the same time, citizens must feel solidarity and justice. Serbia’s future lies in the European Union, but under these conditions, we no longer trust President Aleksandar Vučić, because he has shown that he is pursuing a different path,” Ceci said.

Asked whether the mission would be procedural or political in nature, Ceci replied that it would be both. From the perspective of the Serbian authorities, she said, it should primarily be seen as political, as members of the European Parliament will be assessing the situation on the ground, including the suppression of protesters, media freedoms, and the issue of political prisoners.

She added that she expects the EP representatives not only to meet with government officials, but also to engage with citizens, civil society, and students, with a focus on free elections, media freedom, democracy in Serbia, and its European perspective.

Regarding the possible opening of Cluster 3 in Serbia’s EU accession process, Ceci said it could offer hope, but warned that the EU must not compromise when it comes to the real situation on the ground.

“If opening the cluster is only meant to normalize the situation, then that is a problem. We will not abandon monitoring, nor will we abandon the balance between keeping the door open for Serbia or closing it again if the situation does not change. There is no way we can agree that, under these conditions—political brutality, political prisoners, fear among citizens, and media repression—such a country can join the European Union,” Ceci concluded. /TheGeopost.