Stocker in Serbia: Economy and EU perspective in focus!

Stocker in Serbia: Economy and EU perspective in focus!

Belgrad, Serbien - Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) visited the Serbian capital Belgrade on Wednesday to speak to the Serbian government on the EU accession perspective and economic cooperation. In the talks that took place with President Aleksandar Vučić and Premier đuro Macut, an agreement on increased economic cooperation was also promised. Stocker, who was received by Vice Prime Minister Adrijana Mesarović at the airport, emphasized Austria's importance as the third largest investor in Serbia, where the trading volume in 2024 was around 1.96 billion euros.

This trip marks Stocker's first bilateral trip abroad to the western balcony region. In addition to the political talks, the Chancellor also plans to meet the Austrian footballer Marko Arnautović, who is currently playing at Red Stern Belgrade. Arnautović plays an important role because he is not only active in sports, but also symbolically embodied the connection between Austria and Serbia.

EU accession and necessary reforms

A central topic of negotiations remains Serbia's path to the EU. Serbia has had the official candidate status since 2012, but it is pointed out that reforms and the normalization of relationships with Kosovo are necessary to make progress in the accession negotiations. Five EU countries do not recognize the independence of Kosovo, which also complicates the process. Austria actively supports Serbia in this procedure and launched the "Friends of the Western Balkans" initiative to promote the political integration of the region.

In addition, Stocker also discussed the planned agreement on economic cooperation with business representatives. Austria's exports to Serbia rose by 3.1 percent to 1.1 billion euros in 2024. These figures illustrate the growing economic integration of both countries.

The geopolitical situation in the Western Balkans

The geopolitical situation in the West Balkans is tense. A newly shown non-paper entitled "Western Balkans-A Way To the Board" suggests a redesign of the Western Balkans according to ethnic principles. Such proposals that favor an ethnically homogeneous nation states are ensured internationally about the return of military conflicts in the region. The Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa is associated with the document, which is considered dangerous and potentially destabilizing.

The international community, including Germany's Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, has vehemently protested such ideas. Experts warn of a possible deterioration in the region, while the EU continues to try the political integration of the Western Balkans. The commitment of Austria and other EU countries is crucial to ensure stabilization and progress on the way to EU membership.

Overall, the journey of Chancellor Stocker shows that Austria takes a key role in the Western Balkans by providing economic impulses and providing political support for necessary reforms, while at the same time the complexity of regional geopolitics has to be taken into account.