Dutch MEP Thijs Reuten requested a response from the European Commission explaining its policy towards Serbia, as well as why the European Union recently prescribed a grant worth € 600 million, as well as a financial assistance package worth €2.2 billion, knowing that the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic uses the EU as a “personal ATM".

“On 28 February, the Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement presented a 2.2bnEUR financial support package, of which 600mnEUR in grants, to the Republic of Serbia. This is Serbia's largest-ever EU grant.In his press conference remarks, the Commissioner referred to Serbia, which grows increasingly authoritarian, as a ‘friend’ and to the day itself as ‘remarkable’ and ‘very symbolic’,” the MEP said.

He recalled that that same night, the President of Serbia went on national television to proclaim his unwillingness to sign the EU-brokered Agreement on the path to normalization between Kosovo and Serbia, which was reportedly agreed just the previous day and which the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo was ready to sign.

Today, I asked the @EU_Commission to explain its unintelligible Serbia 🇷🇸 policy.

Vučić uses the European Union as his ATM, then turns around and refuses to sign the EU-brokered agreement with the Republic of Kosovo.

Stop this self-defeating funding of Vučić’s obstructionism. pic.twitter.com/KtSHYUWZvG

— Thijs Reuten 🇪🇺🌹 (@thijsreuten) March 3, 2023

For this reason, Reuten asked three questions from the European Commission:

“1. In light of the President's refusal to sign the EU Proposal, does the Commission share the assessment that the timing of the Commissioner's visit to Serbia, his laudatory remarks, and the delivery of Serbia's largest-ever grant risks signalling EU endorsement of Serbia's obstructionism?

2. What steps will the Commission take to encourage Serbia to sign the EU Proposal?

3. Will the Commission move to suspend disbursements to Serbia under the Economic and Investment Plan until its President signs, and demonstrates a credible commitment to the implementation of, the EU Proposal?”