• 2025-05-09

CDF: The Citizens of Serbia Share European Values of Democracy and Rule of Law

The Center for Democracy Foundation extends its congratulations to all the citizens of Serbia on Europe Day!

This year marks 75 years since the Schuman Declaration, which paved the way for the political integration of Europe and laid the foundations for today’s European Union, a community based on the values of democracy, rule of law, and economic prosperity.

Twenty-five years ago, Serbia chose the European path with the goal of becoming a full member. Our progress in EU integration has been extremely slow, reforms unconvincing, and in key areas Serbia is regressing. Twenty years ago, we believed that the rules and practice of free and fair elections had been established once and for all - yet for years we have once again been fighting for free and fair elections. The law is not applied equally, and institutions are under the undue monopoly of political and party power. The government continuously fails to implement reforms and fulfill the promises it made within the deadlines it set or agreed upon with the EU. On the other hand, the EU's own hesitations in recent years to continue the enlargement process have also contributed to weakening citizens’ commitment to reforms and belief in the attainability of membership. Today, the enlargement policy is once again high on the EU agenda, and Serbia hesitates to “board the train”, accelerate political reforms, and prove itself to EU member states as a predictable partner. Becoming a member of a club means accepting its rules.

Student and civic protests have shown that the values of democracy and the rule of law are rooted in Serbian society and that citizens want real transformation of the state and society: for the state to be democratic, not stalled by corruption, incompetence, and the party monopoly over all segments of political, social, and economic life. They want a responsible government accountable to parliament, where political dialogue is based on respect. They want a judiciary that is not influenced by the government, the president, or ministers - where no one is above the law. They want a society where the media are free and responsible, not creators of disinformation and distorted reality.

Global events also impact the European Union. The war in Ukraine, the first on European soil since the end of World War II, has created the need to redefine political, economic, energy, and security processes. At times, it may seem that newly revived geopolitical issues overshadow the importance of the values upon which the EU was built over past decades. The rise of populism and the far right in many EU countries is also fueling various forms of polarization and division, making the defense of democracy and the restoration of trust in institutions an important topic at many European forums. In this context, uniting the European space is a political imperative: in defending democracy, human rights, free elections, and credible institutions, we must act together, while strengthening the European identity and the shared cultural heritage that binds us. Democracy is defended with persistence and dedication.

The Center for Democracy Foundation extends its congratulations to all the citizens of Serbia on Europe Day!

The future of Serbia lies in a community of free, responsible, and solidaristic societies.

Center for Democracy Foundation