Serbian Prime Minister Đuro Macut stated after his meeting with EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Várhelyi that European integration remains Serbia’s absolute priority. He emphasized his government’s commitment to accelerating this process during a joint press conference at the Serbian Government building.

Macut noted that Serbia has one of the longest experiences in EU accession negotiations among candidate countries. He highlighted the importance of opening new negotiation clusters, particularly Cluster 3 (covering education, science, culture, and information), which will be a focus of his government’s work. The Prime Minister expressed hope that Commissioner Várhelyi’s visit would support Serbia’s efforts to revive dialogue in these areas after several months of stagnation.

The Prime Minister stressed his government’s full dedication to implementing reforms, particularly in rule of law, judicial independence, and anti-corruption measures. While acknowledging slower-than-desired progress in recent years, Macut confirmed Serbia’s continued implementation of all necessary reforms. He emphasized his cabinet’s expertise and expressed confidence in establishing good cooperation with the EU delegation.

Macut highlighted the significance of the EU’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans as a mechanism to accelerate economic and institutional reforms while strengthening Serbia’s integration into the EU single market. He projected that Serbia could achieve the plan’s targets by late 2026 through intensified efforts.

The Prime Minister concluded by reiterating Serbia’s complete dedication to its European path and expressed confidence in his cabinet’s ability to coordinate this demanding process effectively. The meeting underscores ongoing efforts to advance Serbia’s EU accession while addressing key reform requirements in the negotiation process.