Serbia Should Seek Closer Ties With Russia, Find Alternative to EU

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Serbia should bolster its ties with Russia and raise awareness of the Eurasian Customs Union (EACU) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in the country, abstaining from developing relations with the European Union exclusively, the leader of the Serbian Dveri non-parliamentary movement said Friday.

"There is an alternative to the European Union and it’s not the only way for Serbia. Our goal is to strengthen relations with Russia, as well as help ensure that Serbia knows more about the [Eurasian] Customs Union and the CSTO," Bosco Obradovic told reporters.

Serbian politicians from the Patriotic Bloc, comprising the Democratic Party and members of the Dveri opposition movement, have just returned from a visit to Crimea.

An aspiring EU member, Serbia has maintained friendly relations with Russia despite the EU and US sanctions against Moscow over its alleged Crimea annexation and involvement in the Ukraine crisis.

Russia has repeatedly denied the Western accusations, pointing out that the economic restrictions are counterproductive.

The EACU is a customs union, which comprises the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union, namely Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. The bloc aims for greater economic integration between its member states, including a streamlined flow of goods, services, capital and labor.

The CSTO is an intergovernmental military alliance formed in 1992 with six members, Russia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Belarus, as well as two observer states – Afghanistan and Serbia.