Our Concerns To The EU Over Serbia Becoming An EU Member State – Only When It Enforces The Law For Stray Animals In Accordance With Existing Serbian Laws.

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

 

Regarding our recent posts on the dogcatchers of Serbia; we are now in the final stages of writing a letter which we will be sending to the EU.

The EU is very keen (as we have seen with live animal transport to Turkey) to simply dismiss the concerns and pass the enforcement back to member states.  We call this a cop out and consider the EU Commission should be stepping in to prosecute.

If the EU wants to brag about all its legislation to protect, then it needs to step up to the plate and prove it is enforcing what it says.

This will be our case to the EU.

But back to Serbian dogs.

 

Serbia is currently an EU ‘Candidate Country’ – https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/countries/detailed-country-information/serbia_en

The Treaty on the European Union states that any European country may apply for membership of the EU if it respects the democratic values of the EU and is committed to promoting them.

The first step is for the country to meet the key criteria for accession. These were mainly defined at the European Council in Copenhagen in 1993 and are hence referred to as ‘Copenhagen criteria’. Countries wishing to join need to have:

  • stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;

https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/policy/conditions-membership_en

 

With these standards, set out by the EU itself, we can only assume that the EU will do as it says; both protecting the rule of law and citizens rights within Serbia.

 

·         Serbia – with from 1st January 2006, the Criminal Code of Serbia. Article 269,

 

And also Article 46 of the Serbian Veterinary Law  means that stray animals must not be killed but given protection by regional authorities.  We cover the legislation in more detail at – https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/about-serbian-animals/

And so we think the EU does have a responsibility under ‘Copenhagen’ to ensure that Serbia is enforcing the rule of law for strays before it is allowed to join the EU.

Serbia is not currently enforcing its own laws (Article 269 and Article 46 of the Serbian Veterinary law), and so we feel the EU should become involved with this.  We are currently writing a letter to the EU based on this information – and asking them to address the issue of stray dogs / Serbian law with the Serbian government.

Serbia needs to enforce its own laws way before the EU accepts it as a member state of the EU.  If necessary, we would be prepared to argue this case in a court of law.  If the EU states that candidate nations should show adherence to the Copenhagen Criteria, then the EU must ask Serbia why it is non compliant with enforcing its own national laws for the welfare of stray dogs and cats !

 

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