Djuric: Serbia wants the Schengen area to be opened to all countries of the region as soon as possible

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Marko Djuric stated in Brussels, following the informal breakfast hosted by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas for EU foreign ministers and partners from the Western Balkans, that Serbia’s key message at the meeting was that Europe has no time to lose, as the integration process must be accelerated and adapted to unprecedented global circumstances.

Reflecting on his remarks at the meeting, Djuric emphasized that he had conveyed to the participants that no previous generation had simultaneously faced the rise of artificial intelligence, social media, and a transformation of the global geopolitical order.

“Such rapid changes require the European Union to admit into its ranks, without delay, those states that are located on the European continent but are not yet members. Among the countries that are not yet members, Serbia stands out in terms of economic, demographic, and geopolitical characteristics as a country accounting for 53 percent of the regional economy and GDP, as well as the fastest-growing economy in the region over the past decade,” Djuric stated.

The Serbian foreign minister noted that today’s discussions also addressed numerous specific and concrete issues.

“There were difficult discussions regarding the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where I sought, in a respectful manner, to protect Serbian interests from those attempting to portray the Republic of Srpska as the sole or principal culprit for the complex internal relations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Serbia has always stood for stability and has consistently supported the Dayton Agreement. At the same time, Serbia firmly maintains that the peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina themselves should determine the future of that country, not outside actors. Assistance from all of us is always welcome, but the essential work must be carried out among the political actors within Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Djuric stressed.

He underlined that Serbia had demonstrated over the past three decades the extent of its contribution to the normalization of relations by preventing situations from spiraling out of control, at least in areas where it could exert influence.

“There were also discussions regarding other open issues in the region, including the Belgrade–Pristina dialogue. I recalled the fact that the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities has not been established for more than a decade, despite being an obligation agreed and signed here. I was, after all, a witness to that on 19 April 2013. Representatives from Pristina attempted to blame Serbia for various regional problems and portray it as a source of instability in our region. However, the overall observation is that Europe today is facing a broader range of challenges and is genuinely working to accelerate the enlargement process. In that context, Serbia’s message was that we wish to see the Schengen Area opened to all countries of the region as quickly as possible,” Djuric emphasized.

The minister described it as frustrating that the region still has “hard borders” every 150 to 200 kilometers, disrupting the lives of people and families, as well as economies and tourism.

“There is no reason why Europe should not already this summer unlock the full potential of integrating our region into Schengen, because, according to our estimates, this would directly generate fifty billion euros in new economic activity. At the same time, it would not reduce the security of the European Union or of our continent as a whole. On the contrary, it would lower tensions in our region and prove highly beneficial,” Djuric explained.

He also pointed out that he had presented Serbia’s position advocating the swift inclusion of the region into the common economic area, adding that several ministers reacted positively and supported these views.

“The overall tone of the discussion was respectful towards our country, and I hope that our European integration process will continue to advance despite the ideological and at times politically motivated pressures to which our country is often exposed from certain quarters,” the minister stated.

Responding to journalists’ questions, Djuric assessed that accepting President Aleksandar Vucic’s proposal for the entire Western Balkans to be admitted immediately and without delay into the European Union would be the best possible step both for Europe and for the Balkans, as it would reduce tensions and unlock the region’s full potential.

“I mentioned that the very year the region would join Schengen, fifty billion euros in new economic value would immediately be unlocked. Just imagine how much lower tensions in our region would be if all Serbs, Albanians, and Bosniaks could move freely without borders, while fully respecting sovereignty, statehood, and laws, but without bureaucratic obstacles. Secondly, the external borders of the Schengen Area would be reduced by 20 percent if the Western Balkans were admitted. In that case, only nineteen international entry points would require enhanced supervision,” Djuric stressed.

He added that such a move would reduce the European Union’s costs for maintaining border services and would not lead to an increase in migration flows.

“I believe that what President Vucic has done, both individually and in cooperation with some other regional leaders, represents a serious impetus and an outstretched hand which I hope EU member states will accept as soon as possible,” Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric concluded.