Vucic said he was convinced that Serbia “as a loyal friend” could contribute to the EU progress and speed up the development of bilateral relations.

“As you once looked at the Western countries, we now look at the Visegrad Group (VG), at your successes, and we hope that one day we will belong to that club. Besides our efforts we need your support and understanding,” Vucic said.

He took part at the VG Summit upon the invitation by the Czech President Milos Zeman who had recently visited Serbia.

Slovenian President Borut Pahor, whose country is not the VG member, has also attended the Summit.

"The Visegrad Group, known as V4, is an alliance of four eastern and central European states: Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. ... In 1991, Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia – as it still was then – joined forces to work together more closely and prepare their planned EU accession," Deutsche Welle reported in February.

It added that "despite their differences and the fact that they belong to different political groupings within the EU, in recent years one topic, in particular, has brought the V4 together: the refugee question. All four countries categorically reject fixed EU distribution quotas... At the end of 2017, the EU Commission launched legal proceedings against Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic over their refusal to take in refugees from an agreed EU distribution program."

On Thursday, Hungarian President Janos Ader said that the stability in the Balkans is in the EU interest. If Serbia meets conditions for the membership, the EU should be enlarged, told the gathering.

Zeman said he was happy that all VG member states supported Serbia and wanted to help it in every way.

Polish President Andrzej Duda said the EU doors should be opened for the Western Balkans states, but that clear deadlines and conditions should be set.

"We joined the EU 15 years ago. We now the challenges the countries which want to become the bloc’s members are facing, and we support Serbia on its European road,” Duda added.

Slovakian President Zuzana Čaputová also said her country backed Serbia’s EU membership and that  Belgrade had to fulfil all conditions and criteria.

Pahor said Ljubljana was also in favour of the EU enlargement because that would reduce security risks.

"The support of Serbia by the Visegrad Group and Slovenia is very important. We are obliged to explain to other EU member states that the continuation of the enlargement is in the interest of us all. It should not be forgotten because that could have negative consequences,” Pahor said.