Reconsidering The Approach to Serbia: A Call for Fairness

by Cristian Florescu


The Hungarian Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, Asserts Serbia’s EU Accession Shouldn’t Hinge on Pristina Issue

During an interview conducted by HINA, Szijjártó claimed that Russia does not pose a threat to any member of the NATO alliance.

The Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs visited Petrinja yesterday to inaugurate a newly constructed elementary school, funded by a donation of nearly 22 million euros from Hungary. The school was built in response to the destructive earthquake that struck the Croatian city at the conclusion of 2020.

Szijjártó emphasized the importance of the enlargement of the European Union, asserting that the integration process remains unfinished until all nations in the Western Balkans are granted membership.

According to Szijjártó, it is argued that the European Union has a greater need for the Western Balkans than the Western Balkans countries have for EU membership.

The European Union is currently facing challenges such as a decline in competitiveness, ongoing conflicts, war fatigue, and a perceived decrease in relevance in global affairs. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary has suggested that the EU could address these issues and rejuvenate its position on the global stage through the process of enlargement. During Hungary’s presidency of the Union in the latter half of the year, there will be a strong focus on expediting this enlargement process.

According to Szijjártó, Hungary is deeply concerned about maintaining stability in the Western Balkans region. The Hungarian government actively opposes the European sanctions imposed on Milorad Dodik, the President of Republika Srpska, who frequently makes secession threats against Bosnia and Herzegovina, as reported by the agency.

HINA points out that Dodik has already been subjected to sanctions by both Great Britain and the United States. Additionally, Szijjártó argues that European sanctions have historically proven ineffective and counterproductive, as punishing a democratically elected leader only exacerbates the situation.

Recognizing the frequent engagement between Budapest and Dodik, it is asserted that Dodik favours discourse and deliberation over punitive measures. Moreover, it is observed that Dodik’s interactions with the president of Republika Srpska have affirmed his unwavering dedication to his country’s European trajectory.

According to the agency’s report, Szijjártó asserts that utilizing the expeditious process of EU membership as a shared factor could serve as a unifying force for both leaders and citizens in BiH, ultimately mitigating tensions.

According to reports, the Hungarian diplomatic leader asserts that Serbia is fully prepared to become a member of the European Union in the immediate future. Additionally, it is emphasized that without Serbia’s inclusion, given its significant size and influence within the Western Balkans, regional stability in that vicinity cannot be ensured. Szijjártó further argues that estranging Serbia would be an extremely unfavourable strategy.

The authors additionally assert that Szijjártó attributes the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić’s frequent expressions of anti-Western and anti-European sentiments to a sense of disillusionment stemming from the failure to attain membership despite fulfilling the necessary requirements.

Serbia exhibits a strong sense of national pride. Consequently, I advocate for a revision of the approach taken by the Brussels bureaucracy, replacing their authoritative stance with a more interactive and personal form of dialogue.

Szijjártó seems to be in disagreement with the idea of associating Serbia’s EU accession process with the need for normalization of relations with Pristina. He argues that this approach is unjust towards Belgrade as the progress in the normalization process is not solely dependent on Serbia.

In response to assertions made by Western military leaders, including the Danish Minister of Defense, regarding the potential for a Russian attack on a NATO member in the near future, Szijjártó, as cited by HINA, refuted such claims.

The head of Hungarian diplomacy questioned the rationale behind a potential attack on NATO by someone aware of the alliance’s significant military superiority over Russia. The individual, in emphasizing their lack of perception of Russia as a security threat to any member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, sought to understand the logic behind such an aggressive action.

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