Brussels regrets cancellation of Brdo-Brion summit

2026-03-31 16:21:02, Kosova & Bota CNA

The European Union (EU) expressed regret on Tuesday over the cancellation of the Brdo-Brioni summit, which was scheduled to be held in May.

"Good neighbourly relations are at the core of the European integration process and constitute an essential part of Serbia's path towards the EU. They contribute to stability, reconciliation and to the creation of a climate conducive to the resolution of open bilateral issues and the legacy of the past," the European Commission said.

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic canceled the Brdo-Brijuni summit, which was supposed to be held in May, saying that for now there are no conditions for the arrival of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Croatia.

"The statements and political actions of the President of Serbia, which we have witnessed in recent days and weeks, are in complete contradiction with the purpose of Brdo-Brijoni, harm relations between states and endanger peace and stability in the Southeast European region," Milanovic said on Monday.

Vu?i?, after the local elections in Serbia on March 29, declared that he would "verify reports from security agencies about the possible influence of foreign countries on the electoral process", citing "logistical support from a neighboring country".

"They hit us from the region today as well. You could see what they did from Zagreb and how great their efforts were. In Kula (a municipality in northern Serbia) there were more license plates from Zagreb than from the surrounding municipalities. And I'm not just talking about transport logistics, but first and foremost about the media one," Vu?i? said.

After anti-government protests erupted over the deaths of 16 people in Novi Sad in late 2024, authorities in Serbia have on several occasions accused Croatian secret services of organizing the demonstrations, which officials in Zagreb have vehemently denied.

The Brdo-Brijuni Process is a regional political initiative that brings together the leaders of the Western Balkan countries and has been developing since 2013, with the aim of promoting cooperation and accelerating the region's integration into the EU.

Milanovi?'s cabinet announced that Croatia and Slovenia, as EU member states, have initiated the Brdo-Brijuni process with the aim of improving mutual cooperation and accelerating the European integration process of Southeast European countries.

As co-chair of the Brdo-Brion process, Milanovi? has informed the heads of participating states that he has decided to cancel the planned meeting in Croatia.

In addition to the presidents of Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia, the leaders of Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Albania are also participating in the Brdo-Brijuni process. /REL