Brussels – The relations between Serbia and the EU are increasingly tense, and Europe is in danger of moving further away. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and his Progressive Party (SNS) ended up in the crosshairs of the European People’s Party, of which it is a part, which is considering a possible expulsion. “As president of the EPP, I will initiate in the coming days a review process regarding the party and its membership in the EPP family,” announced Manfred Weber, head of the People’s Party, at a press briefing on the sidelines of the work of the Parliament in plenary session.
The Serbian Progressive Party has been a member of the European People’s Party since 2016, and has a delegate in the EPP political assembly. Now, however, the deterioration of the situation in the country, with street protests that have been going on for ten months, and their repression, leads the main European political force to question the membership of the Serbian partner.
The ongoing situation in Serbia “is generating a debate within the EPP,” Weber acknowledges. “We are aware of what is happening, we are not blind,” he continues to assure that the Popular Party does not intend to pretend nothing is happening, but, on the contrary, to address the situation.
Weber does not comment on the possible decisions that may follow this scrutiny process targeting Vučić’s party. Still, there are not many scenarios: confirm the SNS as an associate member and thus take no action, opt for expulsion, or choose the path of suspension, as in the case of Fidez, the party of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in 2019. However, suspension entails not participating in party work.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
