Serbian politician calls for holding referendum on EU integration amid Brussels’ pressure

BELGRADE, May 5. /TASS/. Serbia needs to organize a referendum on its further movement toward European integration amid Brussels’ pressure on issues of the anti-Russian sanctions and Kosovo’s independence, founder of Serbia’s Movement of Socialists and former Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin said.

"The European Union’s recent demands that we change our legislation in accordance with their instructions, recognize the so-called Kosovo, and impose sanctions against Russia, undoubtedly, added to the attractiveness of our path to the EU. <…> If the negotiators really believe that the Serbs want to join the European Union at the cost of recognizing the so-called Kosovo and if they are convinced, like Minister [of European Integration Nemanja] Starovic, that the opening of the second cluster is more important than the support for Russia or Serbia’s independence, they should immediately support my call for organizing a referendum on our further integration in the European Union," his press service quoted him as saying.

Vulin told TASS earlier that the European Union insists that Serbia betray Russia as a condition for further European integration. However, it offers no benefits to Belgrade, he noted.

On April 2, Serbia’s Movement of Socialists proposed to its ruling coalition partner, the Serbian Progressive Party, to organize a referendum on the country’s accession to the European Union.