Despite the criticism that his refusal to impose sanctions on Russia cost him, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic recalled in an interview for TV Pink this Sunday that Moscow “has always supported Serbia’s territorial integrity since 2001”. He is proud that his government puts the normality of the country first, even if it costs him dearly politically.
Vucic stresses that they must make decisions that benefit their own citizens, such as a possible beneficial deal with Russia over gas supplies. While Serbia awaits negotiations on the issue, the president believes that whatever the future contract might be, “it will be better than in other European Union countries,” while acknowledging that gas is “not free” or priced of will be before.
According to the Serbian President, his country is coping better than many other nations with the current difficulties and tensions. “We didn’t tell anyone that we would turn off the heating, that they would not bathe, or that there would be no wheat or corn,” he stressed, referring to statements by European politicians who had advised the population to moderate their baths or the power consumption to “displease Putin”.
“If I say something against Putin, everyone would give me an award”
“If I wanted to be the number one hero in the world, it would be enough to say something against Putin and everyone would give me an award and say that I’m the greatest democrat in the world,” Vucic argued. “It’s not my job to endanger Serbia,” he added.
In addition to refusing to sanction Moscow, he also spoke out against the trend to abolish Russian culture, especially its classics and great historical figures such as Dostoyevsky, Tchaikovsky or the Soviet Marshal Zhukov. “Should we get rid of Shakespeare because the British are sending arms to the Albanians?” he asked.
Vucic denounced that they face a “pathological hypocrisy” that is “everywhere” from a legal perspective, leaving those who accuse Serbia of having blood on their hands for keeping its air communications with Russia open are in the middle of their military offensive in Ukraine should be ashamed.
“Is Serbian life less valuable?”
With that in mind, the President wondered if anyone helped Serbia or canceled flights when 19 NATO countries bombed the country during their 1999 offensive on the territory of the former Yugoslavia.
The Serbian President also recalled that UN Resolution 1244 bans the shipment of arms to Kosovo, where the presence of a single military power aimed at ensuring stability in the region, KFOR, led by NATO is planned. However, “not only are the British arming them, the Americans are arming them, and the Turks are training the pilots,” said Vucic, who denounced the militarization of the region beyond supporting the internationally agreed contingent.