Serbia should show commitment to EU path

BELGRADE - Good relations between Serbia and Russia do not pose an obstacle to the relations with the EU, but Serbia still needs to evaluate which measures it would take and at which point it would do so, and the country should also show its full commitment to its EU path, member of the European Parliament (EP) Knut Fleckenstein said.

Vice-Chair of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the EP, Fleckenstein said in the Monday edition of the Belgrade-based daily Danas that although matters should not be overstated, the EU would certainly not have a positive view of the announced joint military exercises of the armed forces of Serbia and Russia.

As member of the party in the ruling coalition in Germany, Fleckenstein said that if he were in Belgrade's position, he would try to delay the military exercise with Russia, if not cancel it altogether.

Asked whether the EP would react in case the Serbia-Russia military exercise due in September is organised, Fleckenstein, who recently visited Belgrade as part of the EP delegation, replied that he is certain this will not be met with a welcome by a majority of MEPs and added that the EP will respond to it in some way.

Photo Tanjug Video (illustration, archive)