Serbia's decision to repeal controversial judiciary reforms has reignited debate inside the European Union over how to balance strategic engagement with democratic standards, exposing divisions over whether Belgrade has done enough to revive its accession bid.
The European Commission on Monday presented member states with an information note outlining why it believes Serbia's recent reforms justify opening Cluster 3 of its accession negotiations, which Belgrade has sought to unlock after years of stalemate.
The note, dated 3 July and seen by Euronews, says the Commission believes Serbia has remedied the "backsliding" identified earlier this year and taken steps to strengthen the capacity of the country's Prosecutor's Office for Organised Crime.
It acknowledges, however, that "further work is still required in the judicial and prosecutorial system".
But interviews with more than a dozen diplomats, EU officials and experts suggest Serbia's latest rollback has done little to bridge divisions among member states, whose unanimous backing is required before the accession process can move forward.
