Brnabic: Serbia aspires to join the European Union as a reliable partner

Serbia aspires to join the European Union not as a country desperately seeking support, but as a reliable partner ready to contribute to the common future, President of the Serbian National Assembly Ana Brnabic said today at the Conference of Speakers of EU Parliaments, held in Budapest.

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On behalf of the Assembly of Serbia, speaking at the panel "Moving closer to voters - regionalism in Europe and preserving cultural identity of Europe" - she once again confirmed readiness to build that common future.

Stressing that (accession negotiations) clusters are not only administrative categories but a roadmap, Brnabic said that Cluster 3 on competitiveness and inclusive growth does not only refer to the economy, but also to building a society worth staying in.

"In line with successive positive evaluations of the European Commission, we expect the opening of this cluster in the near future, and I use this opportunity to ask you for help and support," said Brnabic.

When it comes to Cluster 4 - Green agenda and sustainable connectivity, she stated that it is not about "only energy" but also a vision of sustainable development.

"The Green Agenda is not just an environmental policy, it is a moral choice in a world that we are leaving to future generations," said Brnabic.

She added that the future of Europe must be shaped not only in decision-making centers such as Brussels or Strasbourg, but also in places where European values live in people's everyday lives.

The president of the Serbian Assembly also said that at a time when challenges are increasingly complex, from security and migration, climate change to digital transformation, citizens rightly expect decision-making to be brought closer to them, to have influence, to be heard and to be involved.

She assessed that, at the same time, in the age of social networks, trust in democratic institutions, as well as the ability to distinguish between truth and fake news, also presents a unique challenge.

Brnabic noted that strengthening regional institutions is one of the ways to bridge the gap between citizens and the authorities and assessed that the strengthening of regions does not weaken national unity, but strengthens it through trust and responsibility.

"In recent years, pressures on democratic legitimacy, evident in growing voter apathy and political fragmentation, have only increased the urgency of strengthening local and regional administrations," said Brnabic.

She added that in Serbia, work is being done to transfer competences to local self-governments, as well as to increase those powers through continuous training and education.

"We have invested a lot in digital public services in order to increase transparency and facilitate participation of citizens at every level, from municipal to national," stressed Brnabic and added that trust in democratic processes can be built through such efforts.

Brnabic also pointed out the importance of preserving cultural identity, which plays a key role in our relations.

"In Serbia, we move in our own diversity, be it ethnic, religious or regional, and we work to preserve minority languages, especially in Vojvodina. We also recognize the importance of partnerships with our neighbors," said Brnabic and highlighted the excellent cooperation between Serbia and Hungary in regional development initiatives.

She added that Serbia is fully committed to the values and principles of the European Union.

"As a candidate country, we are deeply engaged in reforms that are not only necessary for EU accession, but are also vital for the stability and progress of our own society. They are of vital importance for our people," said Brnabic.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)