Belgrade has just lately accused Brussels of issuing new circumstances for accession to the bloc
BRICS is a extra welcoming and member-oriented group than the European Union, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated, commenting on the likelihood that Serbia may search to hitch the financial bloc.
His feedback got here after Belgrade stated that as an alternative of EU membership, it might discover the choice of becoming a member of BRICS, which is at present chaired by Russia.
“Serbia has been having its arm twisted. They [the EU] all the time lay down circumstances for cooperation and demand sure actions,” Peskov informed the Mayak radio station. “We’re sure that Serbia will make choices which might be most useful to its folks,” he added.
The Balkan nation utilized to hitch the EU in 2009 and has been a candidate for membership since 2012. In an interview on Sunday, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin accused Brussels of transferring the goalposts for accession, most just lately by linking Belgrade’s membership to severing relations with Moscow.
“BRICS doesn’t impose any circumstances on anybody. It’s based mostly on mutual respect and the readiness to handle considerations and pursuits of members. Nobody there says ‘both, or.’ That’s why [the group] is so engaging to a raft of nations,” Peskov said.
One other long-time EU hopeful, Türkiye, formally utilized to hitch BRICS in September, turning into the primary NATO state to take action.
Azerbaijan, Algeria, Vietnam, Indonesia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Venezuela, Kazakhstan, Palestine, DR Congo, Gabon, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Kuwait, Senegal, Cuba, Belarus, and Bolivia are among the many different nations which have expressed their want to be part of BRICS.
The Russian metropolis of Kazan will host the annual BRICS Summit later this month. A Serbian delegation will attend, together with others from a raft of nations, together with members Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated in September that the present BRICS states had agreed to debate granting companion standing to some aspiring members and to doubtlessly approve a few of the bids through the Kazan summit from October 22 to 24.
If agreed upon, companion standing will develop into a brand new type of partial BRICS membership, supposed to behave as a gradual transition towards full integration into the group.
