Serbia again refuses to condemn Belarus for its participation in the war in Ukraine

(Patria) - Serbia is once again the only EU candidate country in the Western Balkans that has not aligned with new decisions of the EU Council on restrictive measures due to the situation in Belarus and its involvement in Russian aggression against Ukraine, as well as on the fight against terrorism.

As announced by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, the EU Council adopted on 24 February a decision (CFSP) 2023/4211 extending restrictive measures against Belarus for another year, until 28 February 2024, and updating the list of persons subject to restrictive measures.

The EU Council also adopted on 24 February a decision (CFSP) 2023/4221 updating the list of individuals, groups and entities subject to specific measures on combating terrorism.

All other EU candidate countries in the Western Balkans - North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina - have aligned with the new EU Council decisions.

Serbia is the only EU candidate country in the Western Balkans that has not aligned with the previous 15 EU Council decisions on restrictive measures due to Ukraine, adopted in January and February this year and in July, September and November 2022.

It has also not aligned with the EU Council decisions on restrictive measures due to human rights violations and the situation in Mali from February this year, nor with the decisions on applying special measures in the fight against terrorism from July 2022, and the decisions on restrictive measures due to the situation in Iran adopted in early December and June 2022, reports Nova.rs.