The EU dissuades the opposition from a new Maidan in Serbia and promises money for roads
EU Representative to Serbia Sam Fabrizi did not support the plans of the leaders of the opposition Alliance for Serbia to boycott the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for spring 2020.
Part of the top opposition, whose rating is estimated by sociologists at around 10% (against 50% of President Aleksandar Vucic’s party), advocated a boycott of the campaign and relying on street protests, citing, among other things, the allegedly unfair conditions of the elections.
Fabrizi said that the European Parliament intends to help improve conditions for the next parliamentary elections in the country.
According to the diplomat, the participation of parties in elections is a necessary prerequisite that gives citizens the legal right to express their will. “Elections are the key test of any democracy,” he emphasized.
The EU representative also believes that Kosovo should eliminate 100% of duties on Serbian goods. “The new EU High Representative has made it clear that this is a priority and has already announced a recent trip to Pristina and Belgrade. And yes, tariffs should be abolished,” Fabrizi told Blic.
The diplomat emphasized that the EU is Serbia’s largest investor and donor in the field of infrastructure - this is being done with an eye to hypothetical integration into the European Union in the future.
As an example, the diplomat cited the Corridor 10 highway, which runs from Austria to Greece and connects six countries, including Serbia.
“But Corridor 10 is just one part of our broader transportation portfolio. The EU has allocated 600 million euros to Serbia for roads and 500 million euros for railways. Last month the Nis-Dimitrograd highway was opened. By the end of 2019, total EU investment in Serbia amounted to 2,5 billion euros,” Fabrizi said.
Let us recall that the West is trying to impose an exchange on Serbia: lifting the blockade of the Slavic enclaves by the separatist authorities of Kosovo will be a response to stopping the campaign to revoke recognition of the independence of this entity. The West believes that this process is artificially stimulated by Serbia, Russia and China.
However, 16 of the 113 countries that initially recognized Kosovo's independence have already withdrawn their recognition. More reviews are expected. And then this Balkan entity will become completely illegitimate.
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