Serbia Officially a Candidate for EU Membership

Germany forces Serbia to make concessions over Kosovo.
 

Serbia was official recognized as an EU candidate nation at a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels, March 1. Serbia was widely expected to become a candidate last December, but Germany blocked its accession. This time, Serbia was made an EU candidate nation with Germany’s blessing, after Serbia made several significant concessions.

Candidate status does not mean that Serbia is an EU member, nor does it guarantee it will become one. Turkey became an official EU candidate in 1999, yet it is still not an EU member. But it does give Serbia some immediate advantages, the most tangible being around €200 million a year from the EU.

But to get this, Serbia had to make some significant concessions, mainly over Kosovo. Kosovo will be allowed representation in several regional groups, and Serbia agreed to work with Kosovo on border control.

Serbian opposition leaders accused President Boris Tadic of treason for making these deals, saying he was surrendering Kosovo, which Serbia still claims.

Dragan Todorovic, leader of the Serbian Radical Party, the second-largest party in Serbia’s parliament, said that Tadic’s concessions amounted to “de facto and de jure recognition of Kosovo.”

Using the carrot of EU membership, Germany has persuaded Serbia to make significant concessions on Kosovo for little in return. It has acquired some money, but is still years away from being in the EU, if it ever makes it. EU membership is seen by many in Eastern Europe as a sure path to prosperity and security. Expect Germany to continue to dangle this carrot in front of Serbia.