2022-12-21

Vučković: Public Support for EU Integration Crucial

Nataša Vučković at the Plenary Session of the National Convention on the EU

The drastic decrease of public support for the EU integration process is truly alarming, said Nataša Vučković, Secretary General of the Center for Democracy Foundation and Coordinator of the Working Group for the National Convention on the European Union (NCEU) for negotiation Chapters 2 (Freedom of Movement for Workers) and 19 (Social Policy and Employment).

Part of the reason for this is the manner in which the Government communicates on issues relative to EU integration. This includes issuing contradictory statements and providing ambiguous information concerning certain processes, indicated Vučković at the Plenary session of the NCEU held at the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia on 21 December 2022.

Public support is also crucial because of all that comes with the implementation of reforms in the actual field, that is, in the institutions of local authorities and others. We need to work together on this. The National Convention plays a part in educating the people on EU accession processes.

Nataša Vučković asked the Prime Minister of Serbia and the Minister for European Integration whether the Government has considered these consequences and whether it is capable of guaranteeing a uniform approach in the way its representatives communicate the values and reforms that are to lead us toward the European Union.

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The National Convention on the European Union (NCEU) is a platform of civil societies that represent the interests of the people of Serbia in all phases of the European integration process.

The NCEU is an alliance of associations created with the aim to sustain and improve dialogue between representatives of government bodies, political parties, non-governmental organisations, experts, businesses, trade unions and professional organisations concerning Serbia’s accession to the European Union. NCEU’s mission is to monitor, analyse and assess developments in the accession process, to advocate for and present the benefits and cost of membership in the EU to the inhabitants of Serbia.

Nataša Vučković, (CDF) coordinates the work of the Working Group for the National Convention on the European Union for Chapters 2 (Freedom of Movement for Workers) and 19 (Social Policy and Employment) and the Intersectoral Regional Cooperation Working Group of the NCEU.

The NCEU publishes the annual Book of Recommendations of the National Convention on the European Union.