Vucic: Everyone in the world is playing their second half—I hope it won’t happen in the Balkans

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic said tonight that he hopes a larger conflict in the Middle East will not erupt—although he believes it will. He pointed out that the Russia–Ukraine conflict has contributed to the current global situation, where “everyone in the world is playing their second half,” emphasizing that he hopes this won’t happen in the Balkans. He questioned why a military alliance between Pristina, Zagreb, and Tirana was formed, stressing that its creation must not be underestimated.

“It would be very foolish to underestimate the creation of a military alliance between Pristina, Zagreb, and Tirana, who invite Sofia every month to join them. The military axis Pristina-Zagreb-Tirana—why was it created?” Vucic asked on TV Prva.

He particularly emphasized that, for the first time, such an alliance includes an entity that is not a NATO member.

“Although Albania and Croatia have recognized Kosovo, Kosovo is not a NATO member, yet this is happening because they claim to perceive a regional threat—even though we are surrounded by NATO countries or NATO aspirants like Bosnia and Herzegovina. Who exactly could we pose a threat to?” the President of Serbia explained.

Nevertheless, he stressed that there must be readiness to protect the country.

“That’s why we’ve done a lot—we’ve accomplished a lot, even if we haven’t spoken about it publicly. Citizens will be proud. Today we are stronger than others in the region, but in order to grow further, we must change our doctrine. Our strength must be incomparably greater—to preserve our freedom, independence, and sovereignty,” Vucic noted.

He added that investments in the military will continue.

“Serbia will become an impregnable and unconquerable fortress for any invader, but it will not fire a single arrow at anyone,” President Vucic underlined.

On the conflict in the Middle East: I hope a larger war won’t break out, but I believe it will

Vucic reiterated his hope that a larger conflict in the Middle East can be avoided—but admitted he thinks it’s likely.

“Too many forces are being mobilized. A third U.S. aircraft carrier is arriving in the Indian Ocean and getting closer to Iran. I believe the Americans are preparing for a strike. I hope it’s just a threat—the highest and most serious one,” Vucic explained.

He said he believes an agreement might still be reached in the meantime, and that the EU’s ongoing negotiations should be viewed in this light, as the EU seeks to assert itself as a leading force.

He noted that, beyond the obvious instability this global situation brings, there is also a severe economic consequence—most notably the dramatic increase in oil prices.

“We’ve raised fuel prices today by two and three dinars, although the increase should have been five and eight. We're forcing oil importers and refiners not to raise prices as much as they should. The price of oil has jumped dramatically,” he said, warning that this affects inflation and the cost of everything linked to oil, including gas.

“It would be best for peace to be restored as soon as possible,” he emphasized.

Vucic commented that the Israeli strikes in the conflict have shown remarkable precision.

He noted that Israel has three intelligence agencies—Mossad (external), Shin Bet (internal), and Aman (military).

“Mossad did an incredible job. Fifty-three percent of targets were hit from the ground, which means they carried out a mission that deserves recognition. That level of infiltration takes your breath away—agents embedded for 15 years waited for the right moment to deliver the harshest results. When I say targets were hit from the ground, I mean drones and weapons launched from Iranian soil. That is a remarkable success,” he explained.

He added that Iranians are a brave people, who are standing up courageously.

He warned that the situation could escalate further and pointed out that both peoples involved are friends of Serbia, which is why he hopes a solution can be found.

“There could certainly be even greater conflict. Both sides are our friends, and I hope a solution will be found. Emotions must be put aside. It’s terrible that we’re suffering huge economic damage. The Strait is only 41 kilometers wide, separating Iran from Oman and the Emirates. That’s where 20 percent of the world’s oil passes—along with a significant quantity of Qatar’s LNG,” he said.

He added that he expects more surprises from Mossad in the coming days.

Vucic reiterated that everyone in the world is now “playing their second half,” triggered by the Russia–Ukraine conflict.

“Everyone is playing their second half now. I only hope the Balkans won’t be part of it—though many are counting on that,” he warned.

Military parade in September, major changes coming to the Serbian Armed Forces

Vucic stated that Serbia has invested heavily in the equipment and modernization of its military in recent months and announced that at a large military parade in September, citizens will see many capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces previously unknown to them.

He also announced major changes coming to the army, noting that he will hold a meeting with the Serbian Army's General Staff on Monday to discuss the necessary transformations.

“Digital Army” platform needed to boost military effectiveness

Previewing reforms to the military, Vucic emphasized the need for implementing the “Digital Army” platform, which significantly strengthens military effectiveness—a model successfully used by Israel.

He explained that currently, military personnel spend 80% of their time on logistics and analysis. With the digital army program, that figure would drop to just 20%.

“We need a shift in military concept. That would make the army incredibly lethal,” Vucic stressed, adding that he is raising the issue now because no one will ask later why Serbia was weak or unprepared when some attempt to trigger that ‘second half.’ We shouldn’t have illusions—there are those making such plans.”