Alarm in Serbia: Only Croatia Among EU Countries is Causing Problems

Croatia is the only member of the European Union that has not given its consent for the opening of Chapter 23 in Serbia's negotiations with the European Union, stated the Serbian minister without portfolio in charge of European integration, Jadranka Joksimović, reports Patria.

- We will see how Croatia decides, and we are carefully monitoring the messages we are receiving. As the responsible minister, it is important to me that we have done everything necessary for the opening of the chapter, which all other member states have recognized - Joksimović told the Belgrade daily Danas, assessing that if Zagreb's consent is obtained, Chapters 23 and 24 on the rule of law and human rights could be opened by the end of June, i.e., by the end of the Dutch presidency of the EU.

Numerous comments from officials in Serbia and Croatia were prompted last week by a message from the Deputy Prime Minister of the Croatian government and leader of Most, Božo Petrov, who criticized the Serbian authorities on his Facebook profile for not extraditing Vojislav Šešelj to the Hague Tribunal, for whom the pronouncement of a verdict in absentia is scheduled for March 31.

- If Serbia thinks that everyone in Croatia is blind to such behavior, they are mistaken - Petrov wrote. The first Deputy Prime Minister of the Croatian government, Tomislav Karamarko, reacted in a similar tone.

Subsequently, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs announced that Serbia must respect minority rights, cooperate with The Hague, and reform its judiciary to open Chapter 23, which includes abolishing jurisdiction for prosecuting war crimes in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, for which Serbia has declared itself competent. Prime Minister Tihomir Orešković told Serbia that he expects them to make the right decision regarding Šešelj if they want to become a member of the EU.