Picula to Hina: Dialogue positive, not optimistic about EU integration

"I gathered very valuable information by speaking directly with people who are protagonists of political and social life. My assessments are certainly more refined, and I also received confirmation of some of my earlier impressions, which will certainly influence the preparation of my reports," Picula said in an interview with Hina after his forst visit to Serbia since he was named rapporteur. Hina recalled that he did not meet with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, outgoing Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, and Foreign Minister Marko Djuric.

Picula said he spoke with ruling coalition MPs and Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic which was enough to assess the government's position. “The fact that some did not accept the meeting is not up to me - I am a man of dialogue. They clearly decided that this kind of communication was not necessary for them, which I think is a missed opportunity," Picula said.

He said he was not surprised by Vucic’s statement that Picula should "complain to Brussels or the waterworks administration" for not meeting with the president and added that "arrogance is always a form of insecurity". “That remark does not surprise me, given the situation in the country. Unfortunately, Serbia is currently - let me emphasise, unfortunately - a highly polarised country going through a serious political crisis," he said.

According to Picula, the EP's position is clear and that it has always supported the enlargement process. "Serbia is the largest and most influential country in the Western Balkans, and the EP is extending a hand. Whether that hand will be accepted by Serbia's high-ranking officials speaks more about them," Picula said.

He noted that all previous reports on Serbia by his predecessors, as well as European Commission documents, highlight the issue of the rule of law and added that the fight against corruption is also a problem and that people have been protesting "because corruption is eroding the very fabric of society."

"In many countries, tabloids are seen as less serious and entertaining publications. In Serbia, however, they serve as tools for political attacks and create a significant asymmetry in the ability of different social and political groups to access necessary information," Picula said. He said the tabloids are likely one of the reasons why "the political awareness here allows for easy acceptance of narratives about a great friendship with Russia, which is a political rival of the EU, or with other geopolitical competitors like China."

"This raises the question - does Serbia truly have a European orientation? I pose this question because there are many indications that the EU is not particularly popular here. But to be completely open, this is also a question for the EU itself. However, it is also a fact that many eyebrows are raised in European institutions when Serbia's close ties with Vladimir Putin's regime are observed, along with the growing presence of China as one of the EU's geopolitical rivals," Picula said.

He also pointed out the stagnation in the normalisation of Belgrade-Pristina relations saying that "both sides are playing tactical games" and warned that both sides are failing to reach an agreement and blocking their own EU integration.

"There are numerous issues Serbia must resolve, and I am not sure at this moment whether it can do so. It has set an ambitious goal of fully aligning with EU law and practices by the end of 2026, but if things do not improve, I am not sure that ambition will be achievable," the EP rapporteur said.

Picula noted that "it must be emphasised, with visible evidence, that Serbia's economy is healthier than its politics." Serbia "has indeed seen an increase in living standards, GDP growth, and a significant amount of construction in recent years."

However, in the long run, economic growth is questionable without political reforms, primarily because legal security for businesses and citizens must be established, and corruption remains a serious issue that drives people to the streets. "Whether progress can be made quickly - I am not sure, but these should be priorities, as they bring benefits in relations with the EU," Picula said.

Commenting on Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić's criticism that the draft EP report "lacks facts", Picula said that although their conversation was "good, fairly open, and at times tough, a dialogue was still developed, because arguing solves nothing".

"I expect that we will continue such discussions in the future," he said.

However, he was left "without a clear answer" on how one can simultaneously claim that the West is allegedly organising "colour revolutions" while nearly two-thirds of Serbia's economic exchange is linked to the EU.

"What interest would the EU have in toppling the government of such a country? It seems to me that there are no 'colour revolutions' here, but rather an attempt to paint a different picture for the public," Picula said.

There was also no clear answer as to why EU citizens are being expelled from Serbia, as was recently the case following a seminar in Belgrade, where they were deported as an alleged threat to national security, he said.

Picula said that in Novi Sad, he visited the "Opens" centre, launched with EU funding, where he heard "many good and reasonable questions" from young people and a message that "they want to see their country in the EU."

Following his visit to Serbia, Picula announced that the next step would be the process of collecting amendments to the draft report, followed by alignment and a new presentation at the Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET).

The report is expected to be adopted at a plenary session of the European Parliament in May.