Euroskepticism increases in Serbia

The level of Serbian citizens’ support to the EU accession is at the moment lowest in the last five years. The main reasons for the sudden decline in support to the EU are long EU accession process, economic crisis in Europe and fear that the EU candidacy would mean giving up on Kosovo, analysts told daily Press. Euroskepticism increases in Serbia According to polls, the situation regarding citizens’ support to the EU has significantly changed since 2006. More than two thirds of the citizens supported the country’s EU accession five years ago, but the support dropped to 50 percent in June 2011. Brussels’ decision not to grant Serbia the EU candidate status has additionally decreased the citizens’ support to only 28 percent, a poll conducted by Partner Consulting shows. Sociologist Neven Cveticanin says that citizens simply feel fatigue when it comes to the EU. “The events in Kosovo are one factor in the fatigue and the other is general insecurity in the EU itself. It is not a promised land anymore and people are starting to realize that the EU has its problems too. The question of euro’s survival has been raised for months which is why our citizens’ insecurity is rising. An important factor is also the fact that our political elite’s enthusiasm was too big in the previous period, so the citizens had expectations that were greater than realistic, which in fact have not been met so they are disappointed,” he explained. Center for New Policy Program Director Nikola Jovanovic points out that the main reason for Serbian citizens’ dissatisfaction is the fact that the accession process is rather slow. Former Serbian government’s EU Enlargement Office Director Tanja Miscevic stressed that citizens’ support to the EU accession was dropping in the entire region. “This is exactly why the EU needs to keep in mind that it must not stop taking care of the Western Balkan countries. In its internal crisis the EU must not forget that the surrounding countries are going through the same crisis and that they need the Union’s help. Also, our citizens need to understand that reforms in the country need to be carried out without Europe. It is only easier to have a goal for these reforms and that’s the EU accession,” she added. Regional Policy Center President Jovan Zivkovic says that the citizens are slowly giving up on the EU because they are scared that Serbia would that way lose Kosovo. “Citizens have a common sense stance and approach to Kosovo’s alienation from Serbia, so this is a logical reaction from them. A solution of course is not to spite with the Serbian pride. The isolation itself will not lead us anywhere so solutions that maybe are not completely fair need to be sought,” he noted and added that a compromise needed to be found so Serbia would renounce neither 15 percent of its territory nor shut the door to the EU.

Euroskepticism increases in Serbia

According to polls, the situation regarding citizens’ support to the EU has significantly changed since 2006. More than two thirds of the citizens supported the country’s EU accession five years ago, but the support dropped to 50 percent in June 2011.

Brussels’ decision not to grant Serbia the EU candidate status has additionally decreased the citizens’ support to only 28 percent, a poll conducted by Partner Consulting shows.

Sociologist Neven Cvetićanin says that citizens simply feel fatigue when it comes to the EU.

“The events in Kosovo are one factor in the fatigue and the other is general insecurity in the EU itself. It is not a promised land anymore and people are starting to realize that the EU has its problems too. The question of euro’s survival has been raised for months which is why our citizens’ insecurity is rising. An important factor is also the fact that our political elite’s enthusiasm was too big in the previous period, so the citizens had expectations that were greater than realistic, which in fact have not been met so they are disappointed,” he explained.

Center for New Policy Program Director Nikola Jovanović points out that the main reason for Serbian citizens’ dissatisfaction is the fact that the accession process is rather slow.

Former Serbian government’s EU Enlargement Office Director Tanja Miščević stressed that citizens’ support to the EU accession was dropping in the entire region.

“This is exactly why the EU needs to keep in mind that it must not stop taking care of the Western Balkan countries. In its internal crisis the EU must not forget that the surrounding countries are going through the same crisis and that they need the Union’s help. Also, our citizens need to understand that reforms in the country need to be carried out without Europe. It is only easier to have a goal for these reforms and that’s the EU accession,” she added.

Regional Policy Center President Jovan Živković says that the citizens are slowly giving up on the EU because they are scared that Serbia would that way lose Kosovo.

“Citizens have a common sense stance and approach to Kosovo’s alienation from Serbia, so this is a logical reaction from them. A solution of course is not to spite with the Serbian pride. The isolation itself will not lead us anywhere so solutions that maybe are not completely fair need to be sought,” he noted and added that a compromise needed to be found so Serbia would renounce neither 15 percent of its territory nor shut the door to the EU.