(MENAFN) Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has criticized the European Union, accusing it of straying from its own democratic values and increasingly engaging in political persecution of non-mainstream figures. His comments came in response to reports that the EU may be pressuring Serbia to exclude Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin from its new government and could soon impose sanctions on him.

Peskov expressed regret over what he described as a growing trend in Europe to target politicians who express views outside the accepted narrative. He argued that such actions undermine the EU’s democratic institutions and contradict the principles it has long promoted globally, including to Russia.

“These are not the actions of a democratic system,” Peskov said, adding that European countries are now abandoning the very standards they have historically upheld and taught others to follow.

The potential sanctions against Vulin follow his recent speech at the European Parliament, where he reaffirmed Serbia’s refusal to turn against Russia for the sake of joining the EU. He also accused the EU of double standards, pointing out that Ukraine and Moldova are being fast-tracked for membership despite not meeting basic entry criteria, while Serbia has been complying with EU demands for two decades without progress.

According to Russian news agency TASS, EU sanctions against Vulin could be enacted in the coming days.

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