Brussels is finally waking up and reacting to the regime in Serbia. This is how British MP Alicia Kearns comments on the discussions coming from Brussels that Serbia could lose up to 1.5 billion euros in European Union funds due to the undermining of democratic order and the country's close ties with Russia.
Kearns writes on X that the protection of press freedom and the foundations of democracy must be non-negotiable, especially in the case of Belgrade, as the country holds candidate status for EU membership. (Kearns' post on X appears)
It was the media outlet "Politico" that first reported on the risk of Serbia losing these funds.
Serbia is not an EU member state, but since the start of accession negotiations in 2014, it has been eligible for funds and grants aimed at helping implement legal reforms.
A decision to suspend payments would further complicate the EU enlargement process.
"We are becoming increasingly concerned about what is happening in Serbia," said EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos to POLITICO. "From laws that undermine judicial independence, to attacks on protesters and continuous interference in independent media."
Kos stated that the Commission is assessing whether the country still meets the conditions for "payments under EU financial instruments."
According to four EU officials working with candidate countries for enlargement, pressure has increased within the Commission in recent weeks to block the funds.