THE PRESIDENT of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, arrived this morning at the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Brussels. The meeting of EU leaders and six partners with the WB starts, according to the plan, at 9.30 am in the European Council, and Serbia will be represented by President Vučić.
Photo: Printsktin
– Gone are the days when independent and free states could be blackmailed. We came here to a friend. I believe in the European future of both Serbia and the region. Together with our friends from the region, we will fight for that European future, but respecting ourselves. We can do that together. That we are scared and that we are very small, and some very big, leave it at that, these are stories for small children. Northern Macedonia is our brotherly country. We do not ask or expect anything from you, only to rapidly develop our friendly and fraternal relations, and I believe that we will always be together on the European path and on all other paths – said Vučić.
Answering the questions of the journalists, the President reiterated the position that Serbia supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine, but also that it also supports the territorial integrity of Serbia, which, as he states, is not the position of many countries.
– We are always for the progress of all Balkan countries on the European path – said Vučić.
Asked if he expects criticism from Serbia not imposing sanctions on Russia, he said:
– I expected, I didn’t expect, he will get an answer.
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Asked how he views the statements of Croatian officials that “Serbia can no longer sit on two chairs”, the president said:
– Serbia is sitting on its chair. And it is not your prime minister and your president who will lead the policy of Serbia, but the citizens of Serbia through their leadership. I congratulate them on the fact that they would like to lead the policy of Serbia, because that shows our importance and I wish them all the best.
It should be reminded that after detailed and comprehensive consultations with associates and members of governments, the leaders of Serbia, Albania and Northern Macedonia – Vucic, Edi Rama and Dimitri Kovacevski – made a decision yesterday to go to the EU-Western Balkans summit together. In yesterday’s conversation between Vučić, Rama and Kovačevski, the principles that will be the main backbone of the talks with numerous European Union officials were agreed upon, the Presidency of Serbia announced.
According to Novosti’s interlocutors, the decision on a unified position sent a strong message to Brussels, which often has an unfair and unprincipled attitude towards the countries of the region and their progress, that Belgrade, Tirana and Skopje can not only cooperate economically, but also act politically together. .
The participation of the leaders of the “Open Balkans” countries at the summit was uncertain, because the representatives of Skopje, dissatisfied with the EU’s treatment of this country, thought not to travel to Brussels, and Rama and Vucic were ready to show solidarity with Northern Macedonia.
Addressing Rama
The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, said today, after arriving at the EU-Western Balkans Summit, that it was a shame that one NATO country, Bulgaria, “kidnapped” two other members, Northern Macedonia and Albania, on their European path.
Photo: Tanjug
Asked whether he supports the candidate status for Ukraine, Rama said that Ukrainians should not have many illusions.
Rama told reporters that this is a new day in Europe, but not in Bulgaria.
He said that Albania knows that there is always a Bulgaria on the European path, but that it will not change its course, that it will continue to build Europe in its home.
– “Open Balkans” is a realistic answer to the situation in which we continue the path of integration because we have no alternative – he added.
Asked whether the so-called Kosovo to join the “Open Balkans”, Rama replied that the initiative is open to all.
According to him, Albania is doing its part, implementing reforms and will continue not only because Brussels is asking for it, but also because our children are asking us to do so.
Asked whether he supports the candidate status for Ukraine, Rama reminded that Northern Macedonia has been a candidate for 17 years, Albania for eight, and that Ukrainians should not have many illusions.
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