The European People’s Party (PPE) has confirmed that it will consider the participation of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in its political grouping following recent events in Serbia involving violence against protesters in several cities in the country.
This situation has caused debate within the EPP, raising the question of whether President Aleksandar Vucic’s party should remain part of Europe’s largest political family.
PPE President Manfred Weber, speaking to the media before the European Parliament’s plenary session, stated that the group is carefully following developments in Serbia.
“We are not blind to the latest events and images from Serbia,” Weber said, underlining that the SNS membership review will take place in the coming days.
The SNS has been an associate member of the EPP since 2016 and has maintained a sustainable cooperation with this political group.
However, some critical experts and voices within the APP have warned that this cooperation may legitimize non-democratic practices of the ruling party in Serbia, especially in the context of suppressing protests and restrictions on freedom of expression.
The decision to review the SNS position within the EPP comes at a critical moment for political relations in the region and for the engagement of European parties to democratic standards.
The PPE is expected to give an official stance in the coming days, while political observers follow with interest developments that may affect the political dynamics of the Western Balkans.
The European People’s Party is the largest political group in the European Parliament and is considered one of the most powerful European parties, as many EU member state leaders come from this political family.
PPE often plays a crucial role in shaping the strategic direction of the European Union.
Events in Serbia have caused strong reactions from MEPs, while President Vucic has often sent offensive messages to them.
The European Parliament will discuss today in Strasbourg, where one of the main topics of the day is to worsen the situation in Serbia.
On the agenda is a debate entitled “The Wave of Violence and the Continuous Use of Force against Protesters in Serbia”, which is attended by representatives of the European Commission and the EU Council.
In addition to the official debate, other side discussions will also take place in the premises of parliament. One of them is the Panel “Serbia: Democracy at the crossroads”, organized by three political groups – Socialists and Democrats, Green. The European Green Party will also hold a press conference discussing “the growing authoritarianism of President Aleksandar Vucic and the oppression of protesters”.
