Serbia, like other Western Balkan countries which opted for the EU, must follow its principles and foreign and security policy, Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman said in Sofia on Monday.

Every Western Balkan state which opted for realising the European perspective must respect the rules and European values for which it opted, he said in answer to a question at a joint press conference with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel.

That also applies to condemning the Russian aggression and the sanctions the EU is applying against Russia because of the aggression on Ukraine, Grlic-Radman said. “Serbia, too, must adjust its foreign policy to the European Union’s common foreign and security policy.”

EU presence in the Balkans is exceptionally important to prevent the malignant influences of third countries as well as because Europe’s southeast belongs in the EU, he said.

EU accession candidate Serbia condemned the Russian aggression but is not applying the sanctions against Russia, regularly citing its historical and friendly ties with Russia.

All Western Balkan states are surrounded by either EU or NATO members.

Brussels has the political mechanisms to convince Western Balkan countries how to follow the European path and EU policy, said Grlic-Radman.