The Dutch parliament also called on the government to prepare proposals for the temporary suspension of the visa-free regime with the EU for Serbia.

The Dutch lower house of parliament has passed a resolution calling for the European Commission to be empowered to punish Serbia for refusing to join the European Union’s sanctions against Russia.

The resolution emphasizes that the coherence of Serbia’s foreign policy with the EU’s foreign policy has fallen to 45% in 2022. At the same time, last year this indicator was 64%, which is “an important criterion in the process of expansion” of the bloc, European Truth reports.

“The criminal war launched by Russia against Ukraine makes it more important than ever for candidate countries and EU member states to comply with the provisions of the EU’s common foreign and security policy,” the Dutch MPs note.

Parliamentarians call on the Dutch government to turn to the European Commission to prepare proposals by October 2023, according to which “in the process of accession to the EU with a candidate country, consequences may be applied for inconsistency with the Common Foreign and Security Policy, in particular, the freezing of the accession process “.

In another resolution, the lower house of the Dutch parliament called on the government to prepare the possibility of temporarily suspending the visa-free regime with the EU for Serbia in case of changes in Serbia’s visa policy and if its foreign policy is not adjusted. It is proposed to stop visa-free travel for Serbia “with the help of an emergency braking mechanism no later than March 2023”.

It is noted that although the Dutch parliament does not have a direct influence on the implementation of foreign policy, it can provide the government with instructions on which it should orientate itself.

The position of Serbia in relation to Russia

As reported, it became known earlier that the European Parliament plans to request the suspension of negotiations on Serbia’s accession to the European Union. Negotiations on the country’s entry into the bloc will continue when it joins the sanctions against Russia.

This Balkan state has long been known for its close political and cultural ties with Russia. However, Belgrade still decided to integrate into the European Union. And here friendship with Russian criminals began to create problems for the Serbs.

Apart from Belarus, Serbia is the only country in Europe that did not support the European sanctions against the Russian Federation, introduced after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Serbian President Oleksandr Vucic previously called international pressure to support sanctions a “witch hunt.”

The publication Welt recently reported that the German federal government is calling on Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić to decide on his country’s geopolitical course. He is required to make a choice: joining the EU or rapprochement with Russia.