Starovic: Merz's letter shows that the need to change the EU methodology has been recognized

Photo: Private archive

Minister for European Integration Nemanja Starovic said today that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's letter, in which he proposes privileged access to the single European market and closer ties with European institutions in the daily decision-making process for the Western Balkans and Moldova, shows that everyone recognizes the need to change the EU enlargement methodology.

Recommended

Starovic assessed that no one can be completely satisfied with the content of the letter, but that it is important to discuss it.

"The very fact that we are having this debate, that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz joined the debate at the very top, shows that everyone has recognized the need to change the EU enlargement methodology, and that in itself is a good thing. If we go into the content, of course, no one can be too satisfied. Ultimately not even the Ukrainians are satisfied, who may see a degradation from full membership in this proposal, which they expected and were promised by many, to some kind of associated membership. We in the Western Balkans can't be satisfied either," Starovic told Pink TV.

The minister stated that he firmly believes that before the end of 2026, the debate that has been started will result in a new methodology that will be better for Serbia compared to the existing one.

"I firmly believe that sometime during this year, and certainly before the end of 2026, the ongoing debate will result in a concept of some kind of a new methodology that will certainly be better for us than the existing one. It's clear to everyone that the enlargement system can no longer function like this, where membership itself is set as a kind of a moving target," explained Starovic.

According to him, it is important that on the way to membership, Serbia receives concrete benefits for its citizens and economy.

"It's important that we have some principle of gradual steps, i.e. that on the way to membership we get concrete benefits for our citizens and for our economy, and that is what President Vucic insists on when he talks about the need to realize those four European freedoms in the full sense," said Starovic.

The minister added that during the summit in Skopje, he pointed out that it no longer makes sense to postpone dropping roaming charges for the Western Balkans, especially after access to the roaming-free zone was approved for Ukraine and Moldova.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)