Serbia recently received the green light from the EU Member States to open Cluster Four in the EU accession negotiations, and thus, after two years of complete stalemate and the adoption of a new methodology, has finally taken a new step closer to membership, write europeanwesternbalkans.com
However, the decision of EU Мember States to encourage Serbia this way, despite the fact that it has formally and legally met all the conditions for opening four chapters within this cluster, seems to many to be “premature”, politically motivated, and an “uncritical reward” for a country that has made no progress in meeting fundamental values, such as the rule of law and the establishment of democratic institutions.
Serbia has submitted all negotiating positions, adopted action plans and strategies in the areas covered by Cluster Four – Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity, which includes chapters – Transport (14), Energy (15), Trans-European Networks (21), and Environment and climate change (27).
However, EU Member States decided to take a step forward in the negotiations at a time when mass environmental protests were being held in Serbia, which were included in the European Parliament resolution condemning Serbia. On the other hand, EU-backed constitutional reforms are currently being prepared.
Apart from the EU’s interest to signal to the entire Western Balkans that the enlargement process is continuing, and to apply the new methodology, experts point at political and even geopolitical games behind this decision.
Serbia is facing presidential, parliamentary, and local elections, which will be an important test of democracy and a process in which the EU wants to maintain greater affection of citizens and Serbian authorities than other, lately increasingly closer allies – Russia and China.
