More than 20 members of the United Kingdom (UK) Parliament have requested that the Government of the UK reconsider its relationship with Serbia, after the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, attended the military parade in Moscow on May 9th and on that occasion ignored previous warnings from the European Union (EU) about facing consequences because of it.
The change in UK foreign policy toward Serbia was requested by delegate Emma Lewell, who posted on the social network X that she had sent an official letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in which she requested the aforementioned, adding that the letter was signed by another 25 delegates who are members of various parties.
In that document, it is stated that all those delegates expressed deep concern about Vucic’s presence at the military parade in Moscow held on May 9th.
“Under President Vucic, Serbia has strengthened its ties with Putin, particularly as the only EU candidate country that has not imposed any sanctions on Russia despite the horrific crimes committed against Ukraine since 2014. Furthermore, Vucic has sought to destabilize Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), and the broader Balkan region, closely cooperating with Putin’s Russia, which seeks distraction from its attempted full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” the document states.
It further states that during Vucic’s rule, Serbia has experienced significant democratic backsliding with constant attacks on free media, political opposition and civil society, and widespread corruption that has contributed to mass protests against his government in recent months.
“Successive UK governments have sought to support Serbia’s Euro-Atlantic integration, hoping the country would turn toward freedom, economic prosperity, respect for human and civil rights, and away from Putin’s Russia. Although this was once a commendable goal, the events of May 9th show once and for all that Vucic’s government has no interest in breaking ties with Russia, while actively promoting the ultra-nationalist, expansionist ideology of ‘Greater Serbia’, which risks once again bringing the Balkans to bloody conflict,” it is emphasized.
Because of all the above, these delegates have called on the UK government to change course, that is its foreign policy toward Serbia.
“Starting with a series of targeted sanctions against President Vucic, his government, and associates, and using all necessary diplomatic means to encourage our allies to follow our example. If we do not send a strong message to the Serbian government now, we risk further empowering Vucic’s regime and failing to prevent a worsening of the already fragile security situation in the Balkans. We stand with the student protesters and the people of Serbia who seek a better future for their country, free from authoritarianism and corruption,” the letter concludes.
It should be recalled that Vucic, after traveling to Russia, stated that he expects to face consequences because of it, but still hopes they will apply only to him and not to the whole of Serbia.
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