Brnabic: Kosovo's admission to the Council of Europe absolutely unacceptable for Serbia

President of the National Assembly of Serbia, Ana Brnabic, stated today on the sidelines of the Conference of EU Parliament Speakers in Budapest that the admission of Kosovo to the Council of Europe is absolutely unacceptable for Serbia. During a series of meetings, she emphasized the difficult situation of Serbs in Kosovo and announced that the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, will soon visit Serbia.

Brnabic said she had a constructive meeting with Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, stressing that the encounter was significant for Serbia's efforts to lobby against Kosovo’s membership in the Council.

“He is from Greece, so he understands all the nuances and complexities. He is well-acquainted with the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and knows how disenfranchised the Serbs and other non-Albanians are — particularly the Serbs, and also the Roma,” Brnabic stated, according to RTV.

She emphasized that Rousopoulos understands why any positive decision on Kosovo’s membership would be completely unacceptable and a poor choice. Still, she noted it is essential for Serbia to reiterate this at every meeting and present data on how Serbs live in Kosovo and how marginalized they are under the institutions led by Albin Kurti.

Brnabic also reported a productive meeting with the President of the House of Representatives of Cyprus, Annita Demetriou, highlighting that Cyprus is “100 percent” behind Serbia.

“They said that no matter what happens, regardless of violations of international law, Cyprus will remain a reliable partner to Serbia, will never recognize that false state, and will always support Serbia in all European institutions, including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe,” she said.

She also met with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, who informed her of her upcoming visit to Serbia. Brnabic characterized the meeting as positive and said the visit announcement is good news for Serbia’s European integration.

“We expect a visit tomorrow from European Council President António Costa, and Metsola said she will visit Serbia after him, which is good news for our EU integration process,” Brnabic told the media in Budapest.

She also met with the President of the Italian Senate, Lorenzo Fontana, with whom she discussed Italy’s support for opening Cluster 3 in Serbia’s EU accession process.

Brnabic emphasized the importance of Serbia’s participation in the conference and noted that the event highlighted significant differences between Hungary’s positions and those of official EU representatives.

“I found it interesting to speak with Hungarian officials — our friends — including Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, about our continued cooperation, including on parliamentary matters,” Brnabic added.

She reiterated that Serbia strives to join the EU not as a country desperately seeking support, but as a reliable partner ready to contribute to a shared future.

Speaking on the panel “Reaching Voters – Regionalism in Europe and the Preservation of Europe’s Cultural Identity,” held as part of the conference, she underscored Serbia’s readiness to build that common future.

Stating that clusters are not merely administrative categories but roadmaps, Brnabic said Cluster 3 — on competitiveness and inclusive growth — is not just about economics, but about building a society worth staying in.

“In line with the European Commission’s successive positive assessments, we expect the opening of this cluster in the near future, and I use this opportunity to ask for your help and support,” said Brnabic.

Regarding Cluster 4 — the Green Agenda and sustainable connectivity — the Speaker noted that it is not just about energy, but about a vision for sustainable development.

“The Green Agenda is not just environmental policy — it is a moral choice for the world we leave to future generations,” Brnabic stated.

She added that Europe’s future must be shaped not only in decision-making centers such as Brussels and Strasbourg, but also in places where European values are lived daily by its citizens.

The Speaker of the Serbian Parliament emphasized that Serbia is fully committed to the values and principles of the European Union.

“As a candidate country, we are deeply engaged in reforms that are not only essential for EU accession but are vital for the stability and progress of our own society. They are crucial for our people,” Brnabic said.