Netherlands blocks Serbia's EU entry

AUTHOR:M.J. GDNUS

Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp announced that the Netherlands will block Serbia's path to EU membership, citing concerns about Belgrade's readiness for the next stage in the accession process.

Veldkamp told reporters after consultations with European colleagues in Brussels today.

"We see that there is not enough progress in the area of ​​the rule of law in Serbia," Veldkamp said in a statement reported by NL Times.

"At the same time, we see insufficient progress in relations between Belgrade and Pristina. Serbia also has a clear responsibility in this. "We see that Serbia has not yet sufficiently aligned its foreign policy with the EU's foreign policy," said the Dutch foreign minister.

"Insufficient progress"

The foreign ministers of the member states will continue consultations in Brussels today on the progress of candidate countries on the path to integration into the European Union. Veldkamp wants, as he told reporters, to convince other governments in Europe to take such a position so that the Netherlands does not have to be alone. "Now we really want to put pressure on Serbia," said Veldkamp.

He added that he believes it is important for the EU to attach importance to the development of the rule of law in order to prevent "worrying developments" in Hungary and part of Slovakia and to strengthen, not weaken, the EU.

So we really expect more steps from Serbia in the coming period, said Veldkamp.

Last week, parliamentary debates were held ahead of the European Commission's report on the progress of candidate countries for EU membership, and many Dutch politicians stated that they were opposed to opening the next step in Serbia's accession process at this time.

MP Kati Piri stressed that the EU accession process must be based on achieved results and that the rule of law is an important part of that, adding that Serbia has made "insufficient" progress on this issue.