Too Early for Serbia’s EU Candidacy

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, has warned Serbia against applying for EU membership before the EU-Serbia Stability and Association Agreement (SAA) is unfrozen.

The SAA was frozen last year until Serbia demonstrated full co-operation with International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague. On a visit to Brussels on Feb. 9, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said that Serbia had three key goals in 2009: • The unblocking of the SAA • Gaining candidate status for EU membership • The removal of the need for Serbs to hold visas when travelling in the EU After a meeting with Dacic, Rehn reiterated Serbia’s accession to the EU was important for the, “stabilization and societal progression in the Western Balkans.” However, when asked if Belgrade should apply for EU candidate status before the SAA is unblocked, Rehn said that he, “would not recommend that.” Rehn will visit Belgrade on Feb 12. He said he hoped to, “see good news this year,” on the visa issue but was waiting for the assessment of Serge Brammertz, the chief prosecutor for the ICTY, before commenting further. The EU’s foreign policy is usually very simple. This is because it only has one real policy tool. It can either grant or withhold membership. The EU has dangled the carrot of EU membership before the nations of the Western Balkans ever since the end of the Wars resulting from the break up of Yugoslavia. The EU’s stated aim both in the Balkans and other bordering regions is to export peace and prosperity, rather than risk importing crime and instability. Does Serbia really have any realistic alternatives to joining the EU? Serbia is probably the least enthusiastic of the countries of the Western Balkans for EU membership. Nationalism and a sense of victimhood still run strong in Serbia. Much of this fuels and is fuelled by extreme right-wing politics. The countries surrounding Serbia, including its former enemies are all looking westwards and have achieved various digress of integration with European institutions. Serbia risks being left out. Despite the strong nationalistic currents in Serbian society, its government is still pushing for EU membership. To do otherwise is to risk becoming an economic and political backwater.