EU to launch Serbian charm offensive

The EU is to launch a campaign aimed at bolstering support in Serbia for EU membership, in a bid to stem rising nationalist sentiment in the country.

According to a confidential strategy memo, produced by the Finnish presidency, EU leaders should co-ordinate a series of high-level visits to make clear that Serbia will join the EU, despite fears of enlargement fatigue.

The document reflects concerns in Brussels that the EU’s influence in Serbia is waning because of differences over the future of Kosovo and handing suspected war criminals over to international courts.

"EU actors need to focus even more on Serbia in the coming weeks and months," the report says, adding that the EU should aim at improving its public image "which would also support reform-oriented democrats".

It recommends new EU funds should be used to underline the benefits of close ties with the EU. "The IPA [instrument of pre-accession assistance] will be available for Serbia from 1 January 2007, it will be important to highlight the visible benefits of this instrument. If possible, the start of some highly visible and concrete IPA projects could be deliberately announced in December."

Serbia’s attempts to join the EU have stalled over Belgrade’s failure to apprehend wartime general, Radko Mladic´, and transfer him to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

According to the memo, the EU should try to emphasise the need for Serbia to rein in its secret services and to follow the example of Croatia, which has handed over war crimes suspects.

"ICTY conditionality needs to be explained in EU terms, relating to the equal treatment of all Western Balkan countries," the memo says.

Many in Serbia still regard Mladic´ as a hero.

The EU’s perceived support for Kosovo’s independence has also strengthened the hand of nationalist parties, which are expected to do well in January elections.

According to Ksenija Milivojevic´, secretary-general of the European Movement in Serbia, the measures are needed to convince Serbs they will join the EU.

"People do not see the light at the end of the tunnel, [they think] membership is so far away that it is not even worth thinking about," she said.

Despite a recent poll showing that 70% of citizens support EU membership, Milivojevic´ said that anti-EU politicians could easily make a case against the Union.

"It is difficult to promote the EU when people say they see no personal benefit from it. Visa liberalisation only affects privileged groups…what people want to see is concrete effects."

Among the measures considered in the memo are easing visa restrictions for Serbs visiting the EU and sending ambassadors around Serbia to explain how much assistance it receives from the Union.

The heads of EU missions in Serbia "could improve the EU’s visibility and more actively reach out to the Serbian public at different locations around the country", it says.

The EU is to launch a campaign aimed at bolstering support in Serbia for EU membership, in a bid to stem rising nationalist sentiment in the country.