Vucic: I am optimistic about the position of Serbs in Kosovo in five or ten years

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said tonight that he is not optimistic that the situation for the Serbian people will change immediately after the local elections in Kosovo, but stressed that he is optimistic about the position of Serbs in Kosovo in five or ten years.

“I am not optimistic that the elections will change anything now, but I am optimistic about the position of Serbs in five or ten years, and that is based on the logic of iron arguments,” Vucic told RTS.

He said that after the local elections in Kosovo he congratulated the Serb List on an almost impossible result, given that all foreigners worked against them — above all those from the West, but also those in Serbia who are opposed to the authorities — while all Albanian resources were mobilized to help their opponents.

He emphasized that the Serb List includes people of authority from all parts of Kosovo.

The president singled out the Serb List’s victory in Gracanica as particularly significant, recalling that the united Albanian list received 23 percent.

He said the intention had been to form an Albanian government together with Nenad Rasic, but they did not succeed because the Serb List received more than 60 percent of the vote.

Asked what they will be able to do in the municipalities where they are returning to power, given all the previous decisions that were not in favour of the Serbian people, Vucic said that they could not prevent it and that Serbia will in any case continue to help its people in Kosovo.

“They cannot prevent us from continuing to help the Serbian people, and that help is under enormous pressure. You saw the reaction of the EU representative in Pristina who was horrified that we employed 400 people in our health institutions. Well, where were you…? Have you read the Brussels Agreement, do you know what is written in the documents, what was discussed, negotiated?” the president asked.

He stated that the Serbian state will always stand by and help its people.

“And people know how hard that is, and they know it cannot be any easier, because Kosovo declared independence in 2008, when something could still have been done in response. But they waited then for the elections to pass… And even 17 years later they are still struggling with Serbia, because a free and unconquered Serbia does not accept that independence,” Vucic said.

When asked on what basis he believes things will be better in five years, he replied that he could not reveal that, but reiterated that it is a matter of the logic of iron arguments, which always guides him.

Asked whether Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had called him, he answered no, but added that he had already conveyed Serbia’s positions to Erdoğan.

“He did not call me, but I will certainly meet him… I will tell him what I already told him in New York and before that, as he told me — that he does not agree with it. But he is certainly a great leader, worthy of respect, who has raised Turkey and made it a major power. Not everything they do is always aligned with our interests, and there’s no philosophy to it,” Vucic said.

He announced that he will very soon attend a working bilateral dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Regarding the situation in the Republic of Srpska, he said that he always wishes the Republic of Srpska well and hopes that everything in that area will proceed peacefully in the coming period.

“I am happy when the Republic of Srpska is happy. We can help with infrastructure and road construction, and we will do that,” the president said.

On the timetable for Serbia’s EU membership: There will be many surprises

Asked what the European Union’s attitude toward Serbia is, Vucic replied that there is a new momentum and that the Union understands that Serbia is somewhat more important than before.

“We did not open a single chapter for three and a half years. That coincides with the start of the war in Ukraine. In December 2021 we opened the last chapter,” Vucic reminded.

The president said that since then all others in the region began to emphasize that they are 100 percent aligned with EU policy, unlike Serbia.

“I believe there is now a new momentum and they understand that Serbia is significant for the Union, a bit more than before. The EU is important to us, there are no illusions. The European Union is the largest investor, the place where, despite all problems, life is best, and to which we belong,” he explained.

Asked about timelines for Serbia’s possible EU membership, he said there will be many surprises.

“There will be many different geopolitical decisions in the next year and a half,” Vucic indicated, adding that some opportunities are opening up for Serbia.

When asked whether he believes there is a chance that Serbia could be admitted before 2030, he replied that “he believes such chances exist.”

However, he reminded that there is one problem on the path to the EU, and that is the question of Kosovo.

“There is one question — how to resolve the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. I cannot and will not accept independence, and if someone wants to do that after me, let them do it,” Vucic said.

Serbia has long been threatened by pressure from different parts of the world

Vucic also pointed out that pressures and hybrid influences from various sides have been threatening the country for some time.

“As the President of Serbia I have done everything to preserve peace and stability. Sanctions on NIS, and all the pressures we are subjected to from various parts of the world, hybrid influence coming from different sides, are things that have been threatening Serbia for a long time,” Vucic said.

He stressed that the underlying reason is Serbia’s clear independent and sovereign politics, which no one likes except the citizens of Serbia.

“That is why that politics must be overthrown,” Vucic said.