Member of the European Parliament, Tanja Fajon, said that she is fully committed to the process of Serbia's accession to the European Union, warning that the country is facing problems regarding the level of democracy, freedom of the media and the rule of law along the way, writes N1.
"My vision is that the entire Western Balkans should become part of the EU," Fajon told Diplomacy&Commerce.
Fajon, who heads the EP delegation in the EU-Serbia parliamentary committee for stabilization and association, added that she sees Serbia as an equal member of the EU and part of the family of European countries.
She stated that Serbia must solve the current problems regarding the level of democracy in the country, media freedom and the conditions for free elections in order to speed up the process of joining the Union.
She said that the speed of this progress depends on the commitment of the Serbian authorities, adding that progress has been achieved in some areas such as economic development, constitutional reforms and the creation of a media strategy, but that limited progress has been achieved in the fight against organized crime and corruption.
She also warned against poor application of new laws and regulations. Asked about the elections, Fajon said that there is a need to ensure democratic and fair election conditions and to improve the media situation so that all parties are equally represented, especially on public services - RTS and RTV.
Fajon said that it seems to her that neither private nor public media are completely free, adding that frequent attacks on the media are unacceptable.
She warned that the opposition's decision to boycott the elections and parliament is not good and will not bring about positive changes.
"In my opinion, EP mediation is necessary and it will improve the situation regarding the elections in Serbia," said Fajon.
The member of the EP warned that the society in Serbia is very polarized after months of protests against the government.
"I receive letters from citizens who are concerned about the restriction of freedom of media and speech and the limited space for democratic dialogue," she said, adding that she is fully aware of the critical views that the EU is not objective towards Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and the government and that the Union supports his allegedly autocratic behavior.
Fajon said that it is important that Serbia remains committed to the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, adding that the normalization of their relations is a huge challenge for both Serbia and Kosovo.
"I hope that both sides will reach a satisfactory agreement in the near future that will benefit everyone," she said.
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