MEP may come to Serbia in early 2020 ‘to check’ on implementation of agreed

NEWS 18.12.201909:01
Tanjug/ Tanja Valič

Tanja Fajon, the Chair of EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee and a mediator in the country’s dialogue on election conditions, said on Wednesday she and other members of the European Parliament (MEP) might come to Belgrade again in January or February 2020 to check on the implementation of what had been agreed to improve election conditions in the country, the Beta news agency reported.

MEPs will check the pace of the implementation of the 17 agreed points.

Fajon told the Belgrade Danas daily that the second phase of the dialogue in Serbia’s Parliament was planned from the beginning and would focus on the improvement of political dialogue and parliamentary culture in the country, what, as she put it, “is a key condition for Serbia’s progress toward the European Union membership.”

Commenting on the decision of a part of Serbia’s opposition to remain committed to the election boycott after three rounds of talks, which they did not take part in, Fajon said the boycott was “a blunt” instrument which rarely brought results.

“Boycotts rarely bear fruit, while there is a risk for all those who want democratic elections and further reforms which would bring Serbia closer to the EU, to end on a losing side,” Fajon said.

She appealed to all political sides in Serbia to do everything possible to avoid the boycott. “We asked our closest partners to consider the consequences of rejecting the improvements that we have achieved, to think again about their decision.”

Fajon denied media reports saying the EP would stop to communicate with the opposition Alliance for Serbia (SzS) if they boycotted elections. “I see no reason for stop communication, that’s their legitimate decision.”

She added that both politicians and media in Serbia used negative rhetoric.

“I wonder how it is possible to have civilised talks with the politicians in Serbia… including Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, but as soon as I leave the country I’m attacked and criticised by the media,” Fajon said.

She asked whether the politics were responsible or that was done to galvanise public opinion and provoke social conflicts.