Marta Kos, the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, has raised serious doubts regarding the membership negotiations with Serbia. She stated in an interview with the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” (Thursday edition) that Serbia is standing at a crucial crossroads.
Kos questioned the country’s genuine commitment to a European path, specifically referencing the state honors bestowed upon Ratko Mladic, the convicted war criminal, during his funeral in Belgrade on Monday. She emphasized that it is unacceptable to glorify individuals who inflicted so much suffering on people. To proceed with accession, she stressed the necessity of addressing the past (“Aufarbeitung der Vergangenheit”) and achieving genuine reconciliation.
Kos held the Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic, responsible for the posthumous honor paid to the former general who was sentenced to life imprisonment for war crimes and crimes against humanity, a sentence he served in The Hague until his death. The commissioner, who is from Slovenia, commented to the “FAZ” that it is the duty of political leadership “to heal the wounds of the past, instead of constantly pouring new salt on them.”
Due to the funeral arrangements, Kos had previously canceled a scheduled visit to Belgrade toward the end of that week. Looking ahead, Kos encouraged the European Council to address Serbia’s prospective future in mid-October, where heads of state and government plan to hold a strategic debate concerning enlargement. Earlier this week, leaders from various EU institutions, including Council President Antonio Costa, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU), and EVP party chief Manfred Weber (CSU), had already voiced strong criticism regarding the funeral ceremony.
