Vucic: The EU should change its strategy toward the entire Western Balkans, including Serbia

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated today at the European Political Community Summit in Budapest that the EU should change its strategy regarding the entire Western Balkans, including Serbia, and make strategic decisions on enlargement matters.

"Of course, it is not easy for me to speak today following the previous speakers. It is not easy for me to express a different opinion today. It is not easy to offer a differing viewpoint on these issues, but I will do my best to be as honest and straightforward as possible given the circumstances. I believe that instead of repeating the same messages, we need a true strategic discussion among all of us here. The world has changed, and it will continue to change. We are still living in the past and are unwilling to accept change. I think we need to discuss strategic issues," emphasized Vucic, who was one of the six main speakers at the summit’s opening.

He noted that the entry of Romania, Bulgaria, and some other countries into the EU had been a political decision.

“That was a political decision made by the EU at a time when strategic decisions were being taken by people who thought strategically. That is how we see it. You say, ‘Okay, things are improving in some country.’ But Serbia has the strongest economy by all standards in the Western Balkans. Yes, but we do not need Serbia. Because they haven’t imposed sanctions on Russia or for some other reason, because they haven’t resolved all of its issues,” Vucic said.

He added that Serbia is not the only one with problems and that it hasn’t created all its issues alone.

As he emphasized, Serbia remains on the European path and is a loyal partner to the EU, and as he added, Europe needs a strategic conversation in light of the new circumstances.

Vucic thanked Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for giving him the opportunity to speak as the sole representative from the Western Balkans, which was not the case at the previous summit, where no one from the region had a chance to speak.

"It is not easy for me to present a different opinion on all these issues, but I will do my best to be as honest as possible in these circumstances. I believe that instead of repeating the same messages over and over, we need a true strategic conversation between all of us here and with some other countries," the Serbian President reiterated.

As he added, the world has changed and will continue to change, yet in Europe, we are still living in the past, unwilling to accept it and repeating the same platitudes as we once did.