‘Serbia to pursue stronger ties with European nations’

BELGRADE, Serbia

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Friday said that his country will continue to pursue the European path.

Addressing a public meeting in the capital Belgrade, Vucic said despite depositions of citizens who feel angry at the EU, he would continue to build stronger ties with the European nations.

"I understand why some people are angry, people are angry because they see the EU as someone who puts pressure on us every day on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija and sanctions against Russia. Sometimes we don't want to see what the rational elements are, what the important things are, what we are doing together with the EU," he said.

He said that the EU is the biggest economic partner of Serbia and he is fighting for the interests of Serbia.

Vucic said that most of the investments in Serbia are from the EU, with a huge level of trade exchange with the Union and its leaders, pointing out that “although we often face injustice, there is no love in international relations and even less justice”.

"My message today is that Serbia is on the European path, that it will go further towards that path, and that it will fight for the place of Serbia within the family of European nations," said Vucic.

He said that the trade exchange between Serbia and the EU is about 60.2%, i.e., about 30.8 billion euros, in total, while only the trade exchange with one member, Germany, is at the level of 13%.

Vucic said that since the arrival of Albin Kurti to power in Kosovo, inter-ethnic incidents and attacks on Serbs have increased by as much as 50%.

"A total of 128 attacks during 2021, no one or almost no one reacted to that. The dialogue with Pristina is almost non-existent... The meeting with Kurti in Berlin was just an attempt at dialogue. Because the gentlemen from Pristina did not want that dialogue. They also rejected the joint statement that should have been published," said Vucic speaking about the dialogue with Pristina.

Vucic's address was scheduled for last Friday, but it was postponed for this week.

Recently, Vucic visited Germany, where he held a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for the first time.

He also met the German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, in Berlin, and on Thursday in Belgrade, he also met the German Minister of Defense, Christine Lambrecht.