Tonino Picula, the European Parliament’s rapporteur for Serbia, stated that Brussels no longer harbors illusions about President Aleksandar Vucic or the nature of his administration, BGNES reported. He emphasized that, in its current state, Serbia is not in a position to join the European Union.

According to Picula, the real question now is how the EU should position itself toward alternative political forces in Serbia. He pointed out that, while Vucic’s government enjoys formal legality, the protest movement on the streets is steadily gaining legitimacy. This, he suggested, reflects the depth of the country’s political crisis and the uncertainty surrounding possible change.

Commenting on the recent collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad that left 16 people dead, Picula warned that the tragedy symbolized a wider instability. He added that “a 17th victim may emerge from the escalating clashes in Serbian cities,” underlining the growing risks of unrest if the country fails to find a way out of the current political standoff. The only viable solution, he argued, lies in holding elections that could offer a democratic path forward.

Picula also urged Croatia to adopt a firmer stance toward Belgrade. He accused the Vucic government of engaging in political manipulation, including the detention and expulsion of Croatian citizens, actions which he argued should not be ignored at the political level.

The Croatian MEP further addressed the controversy over a photo of him from the wartime period, published around the anniversary of Operation Storm. He expressed surprise at the negative reactions but stressed that he had no intention of provoking anyone. The anniversary, he said, was an appropriate occasion to reach out both to people with whom he shared those times and to Croatian citizens more broadly, reminding them of a decisive step in Croatia’s internationally recognized path to independence.

In his view, Serbia’s struggle with its past remains central to its present dilemmas. He argued that, while Serbia is a country divided over how to approach its future, there is a clear consensus on how it interprets its history. That, Picula concluded, was evident from the reaction to his publication and remains a defining factor in the country’s political trajectory today.