BERLIN – German Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Manuel Sarrazin said that he believed in the future accession of the Western Balkans into the European Union, adding that it was not just about economic integration, but about joining the EU as a community of values.
In an interview for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ)he said that there is an “interesting debate among experts as to whether certain steps can be accelerated within the accession process and whether to make a certain lane for fast driving”. However, he underlined that such ideas must not lead to a weakening of the accession process.
“It is extremely important that the EU adheres to the accession process with the goal of full membership because this is not just about economic integration but above all about joining the EU as a community of values”, said Sarrazin.
Speaking about Serbia’s decision not to support EU sanctions against Russia, Sarazzin said that this is “a bad time to be indecisive” towards Russia.
“I assume that the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić also sees that the Russian option is not attractive. It is in Serbia’s interest to take a clear position. Ukraine is showing what can happen when you rely on Russian promises. I believe that it is clear to everyone in Belgrade”, said Sarrazin, Deutche Welle (DW) reported. According to him, it is important for the EU to clearly formulate the expectations the EU has from Serbia.