Picula says Serbia is obstacle to enlargement

Picula said interest among members of the European Parliament in enlargement policy had grown steadily, reflected in a sharp increase in amendments submitted to his annual report on Serbia.

"Instead of being the engine of the enlargement process, Serbia has become its brake," Picula said in an interview.

He added that Serbia's role could not be viewed separately from its influence on Bosnia, Montenegro and Kosovo, and noted that the European Commission's latest assessments of Serbia had been highly critical of the country's authorities.