The Netherlands “old Serbia” will block Belgrade's path to EU membership

Dutch Minister Caspar Veldkamp is planning to challenge Serbia towards membership in the European Union during Tuesday's meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels.

Serbia “is still not ready” for the next step and has failed to make sufficient progress in the area of rule of law”, Veldkamp told reporters in Brussels on Monday, write Foreign mediaHe's following in on Telegrafie.

Tuesday's meeting will discuss progress in the EU enlargement process.

According to him, Serbia's foreign policy position has not moved enough in line with EU foreign policy, as other Western Balkan countries have done.

So we expect more steps from Serbia”, he added.

We remember that all 27 member states should agree that an aspiring country will join the bloc.

Veldkamp stressed that he hoped other EU countries would approve the Dutch stance “so that we are not alone in this”.

Veldkamp noted that he wants to see clear progress from Serbia in the coming weeks.

Serbia applied for EU membership in 2009 and current negotiations began in 2014.

But one of the biggest obstacles is Kosovo, and Serbia has never recognised Kosovo's independence.

Serbia is not required to recognise Kosovo's independence to join the EU, but must accept its current borders.