Picula: Vučić’s reactions to the protests should not be welcomed – The EU should look into what is happening in Serbia

The Serbian president’s reaction to the mass demonstrations in Serbia over the past six months is not welcome, European Parliament (EP) rapporteur for Serbia, Tonino Picula, said on Tuesday.

According to him, it is very important that the European Union institutions examine what is happening in Serbia.

It is very important for the European institutions to carefully examine the developments in Serbia. Serbia and (its president) Aleksandar Vučić are currently going backwards in terms of democratic standards – especially in the last six months, when there were mass protests in Serbian cities. Vučić’s reaction is not welcome. Serbia is going backwards in terms of many democratic indicators and standards,” he told BGNES, as reported by EUlive.

He emphasized that the idea of a “Serbian world” was dangerous and that the region belonged to the EU.

“Any project that aims to change borders at the expense of neighbors is dangerous.”

He compared such ideas to the policies of Slobodan Milosevic, the “butcher of the Balkans”.

“I do not believe that the Serbian leadership is able or willing to repeat the mistakes of Slobodan Milosevic 30 years ago. Nevertheless, we must remain vigilant and send a clear message not only to the Serbian people, but also to the peoples of the Western Balkans: Their future should be in the EU and not in an imaginary “Serbian world”. It is important that Brussels points the finger at such ideas, prevents them and gives them a clear political perspective, which has been described as very dangerous,” emphasized the MEP./The Geopost/