German, French ambassadors: Serbia should set EU membership as national priority

In the article, published by the daily Politika daily on occasion of the 61st anniversary of the signing of the Elysee Treaty, German Ambassador Anke Konrad and French Ambassador Pierre Cochard said the treaty “constituted the foundation of reconciliation” between their countries. One of their shared goals, they added, is EU enlargement, which is slowly gaining momentum – and includes Serbia, reported Beta.

“Germany and France are jointly involved in supporting the implementation of all the reforms Serbia has undertaken on its path toward joining the EU, which we hope will happen soon,” the ambassadors wrote.

They recalled that January 2024 also marks 10 years since Serbia opened accession talks with the EU, and added that the pace might seem slow to the Serbians, but that it reflects the demanding nature of the accession process.

“But we call on the authorities, all the political and social forces, and all the citizens of Serbia to set joining the EU as a national priority. There is a place reserved for Serbia in our common homeland of freedom, rule of law and social justice imerative. We want your friendly country, with its history and national spirit, to make an irreplaceable contribution to this common homeland," they wrote.

The ambassadors noted that, although Serbia has achieved progress over the last decade, numerous challenges remain. Therefore, 2024 will be a pivotal year, in which they hope “Serbia will confirm its choice and resolutely continue down the path of reforms.”