European Union officials welcomed the outcome of the referendum on amendments to the Serbian Constitution as an important step on the country’s path to the EU and improvement of the independence of the judiciary.

European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi welcomed the fact that voters in Serbia supported the amendments to the constitution as an important step and commitment to the EU path.

“In today’s referendum voters supported the change of the Constitution to reinforce judicial independence. I welcome this important step and commitment to EU path. We will continue to work with Serbian authorities on ambitious reform agenda, advancing EU integration,” the commissioner wrote in the post.

#Serbia: In today’s referendum voters supported the change of the Constitution to reinforce judicial independence. I welcome this important step & commitment to #EU path. We will continue to work with Serbian authorities on ambitious reform agenda, advancing EU integration.

— Oliver Varhelyi (@OliverVarhelyi) January 16, 2022

Vladimir Bilcik, European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee Rapporteur for Serbia, said that decision to support the amendments moves Serbia forward on its European path.

“Voters in Serbia decided to change the Constitution in order to improve the work and independence of their justice system. The substance and result of the 16 January referendum were about important rule of law reforms. This news moves Serbia another step forward on its European path,” he wrote in a Twitter post.

Voters in #Serbia decided to change the Constitution in order to improve the work and independence of their justice system.

The substance & result of 16 January #referendum were about important rule of law reforms.

This news moves ?? another step forward on its ?? path.

????

— Vladimír Bilčík MEP (@VladoBilcik) January 16, 2022