Serbia left off the agenda as von der Leyen travels to Kosovo and Albania

The European Commission has announced that President Ursula von der Leyen will not stop in Serbia or Bosnia and Herzegovina during her tour of the Balkans.

According to European Commission spokesperson Arianna Podesta, von der Leyen’s itinerary includes Tirana, Pristina, Podgorica and Skopje. In these capitals, she will meet with presidents and prime ministers, as well as visit projects funded by the European Union.

The tour of four countries in the region is scheduled to take place from September 30 to October 2.

Radio Free Europe had previously reported that if von der Leyen did not include Serbia in her visit, she might not travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina either.

For years, the president of the European Commission has enjoyed warm relations with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, whom she has often addressed as “dear Aleksandar.” This manner of conduct has drawn criticism from Western Balkans experts.

Earlier reports suggested that Serbia would be excluded from the Balkan tour because of political and social tensions in the country. Meanwhile, the funeral of Ratko Mladić, who was convicted of war crimes and genocide, had prompted strong reactions within the European Union.

Several members of the European Parliament had also urged von der Leyen not to visit Belgrade.

Podesta explained that von der Leyen intends to visit Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina at a later date, ahead of parliamentary and general elections in the two countries.

This visit marks von der Leyen’s sixth tour of the region. Her trip ahead of the publication of the annual package of progress reports on candidate countries for EU membership has now become a tradition.

Referring to the president’s statement at the June summit, Podesta stressed that the Union cannot be considered complete without the Western Balkans. In her meetings with partners, von der Leyen will discuss the steps these countries must take toward the European Union, as well as the gradual integration supported through the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.