Vucic: I expect strategic decision to take in Serbia as EU member

BUDAPEST - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday in Budapest he expected the EU to make a strategic political decision to take in Serbia as a member.

Responding to questions from reporters after the European Political Community Summit, Vucic said Serbia was now more prepared for EU membership than most EU member states had been at the time of their accession to the bloc.

"You have to look at Serbia's economic strength. Today, it is significantly greater than that of 40 or 50 per cent of EU member states before their EU accession, and we would like it to be even greater. Today, we are on par with one or two EU member states that have received 60, 70 or even 90 bln euros, while we have received around 2 bln," Vucic said.

He said few countries would be able to meet the criteria that were being put before Serbia.

"It has to be a strategic,...