Sweeteners for Serbia could turn sour

Serbian analysts have warned that the EU’s strategy of offering Serbia sweeteners ahead of Sunday’s (3 February) presidential run-off could backfire by giving credibility to accusations that incumbent President Boris Tadic was willing to cede Kosovo in return for closer ties with the EU.

EU foreign ministers on Monday (28 January) offered Serbia an agreement that falls short of a fully fledged pre-accession deal but holds up the prospect of eventual membership of the Union.

The agreement, to be signed on 7 February, was hailed by Serbia’s Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic as a "breakthrough". It is the EU’s strongest bid yet to pre-empt the possible victory of the radical nationalist Tomislav Nikolic in Sunday’s vote.

"There is much at stake in Serbia these days", Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said after the meeting. Serbia had a choice "between a nationalist past and a European future", Rehn said.

Slovenia’s EU presidency had been pushing for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement to be signed in order to boost Tadic’s chances.

But the Slovenes failed to convince their Dutch and Belgian colleagues that Belgrade is fully co-operating with the UN’s war crimes tribunal in The Hague, a pre-condition for signing the agreement.

Serbian analysts have warned that the EU’s strategy of offering Serbia sweeteners ahead of Sunday’s (3 February) presidential run-off could backfire by giving credibility to accusations that incumbent President Boris Tadic was willing to cede Kosovo in return for closer ties with the EU.