Vucic: Kosovo not recognized by 106 countries; we want a compromise, not humiliation for Serbia

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, pointed out tonight at the annual press conference that Serbia had completed the year 2022 in a such way that that we cannot be dissatisfied.

"We managed to preserve financial stability, our economy, to have economic growth between 2.3 and 2.5 percent, despite the fact that for the last two years we were the first in Europe in terms of that, so the base was higher than all the others, we managed to raise salaries and pensions most in Europe. Only one country can compare with us," he said at the annual press conference.

Vucic started the conference with a New Year's wishes to the citizens of Serbia and the Orthodox believers for the upcoming Christmas holidays.

"I want to say a big thank you for understanding everything that happened in the previous year. Many thanks for your support, not to me, not to political parties, but to your country. There are people who understand that their country is more important than leaders and political parties," he said.

He said that he would try to present and submit a report on what had happened in 2022 and what we expected in 2023 and what we thought we had to do.

Huge economic progress of Serbia in the last 10 years

Vucic said that in the last 10 years, Serbia had made enormous progress, which could be seen in all economic parameters, the rate of public debt and unemployment, the inflow of foreign direct investments, the stable exchange rate of the dinar, the growth of wages and pensions.

"I have no need, nor will I have to deceive people in any way, nor will I hide anything. In the first half of 2023, I will not even be the president of a political party, but my job is to be on the side of the citizens, every person in the country, and for as long as I can, I will work in the best way despite the difficult circumstances", Vucic said at the annual conference.

Vucic stated that Serbia's public debt did not exceed 55 percent of GDP, and that our country had been in the top three countries in Europe in terms of growth rate, cumulatively, for the last three years.

"We have the historically lowest unemployment rate, it has never been 8.9 percent, the public debt rate, despite all the crises, is only 55 percent, the dinar rate is as solid as a rock, 10 years between 117 and 118 dinars, without changes, which Serbia has never had", Vucic said.

He added that the inflow of foreign direct investments in Serbia was 62 percent of the total investments in the Western Balkans.

"All this speaks of our progress, what the citizens have done in 10 years", the President of Serbia underscored.

He also stated that the total value of everything we had created 10 years ago was 33.7 billion Euros, and in 2022 - 60.3 billion.

"I will not calm down until it is 100 billion", emphasized Vucic and pointed to the good state of foreign exchange reserves and gold.

He added that few countries could boast of such results, but that our goal must be to reach and surpass them.

He also pointed to a significant increase in pensions from 203.5 to 321 Euros, and wages from 331 Euros in 2010 to today's 642 Euros, and the planned 735 Euros in March.

He added that even though there were 500,000 fewer people in Serbia today, we had more employees by 400,000.

"That's your result, folks, you achieved that with serious reforms and results," said Vucic.

A difficult year awaits both Europe and the world

The President of Serbia said that 2023 would be a difficult year, more difficult for the world and Europe than 2022.

"I expect that 2023 will be much more difficult at the world and European level than 2022. The question is what to do, how to protect the GDP, by additional investment, or in accordance with the advice of Kristalina Georgieva, Head of the IMF, to make cushions, to protect the national money and to think how to save the country in the event of a major crisis," he explained.

He said that the economy of America was falling, which was approaching recession, that China's growth rate was falling, and that Europe was approaching recession.

"We are part of that system, that chain, and of course our growth rate is falling. Accordingly, what happens in the world will also affect us because we are part of the chain. Many in that chain have a debt ratio of over 200 percent like Greece, 130 percent like France, and some 55 percent like Serbia. In terms of fiscal stability, we are in a more favorable position," he explained.

He pointed out that Serbia was not borrowing money, because it could do so at a rate of 5.5 percent, but it found money at a rate of 3 percent from the Emirates, maintaining full stability, in order to provide for the energy sector.

"Today, at the moment we have 580 million cubic meters of gas in storage, so far we have withdrawn 87 million cubic meters. We will have a full Banatski dvor gas storage when winter is over, and another 100 million cubic meters in Hungary. We will talk to the Hungarians to extend the warehouse lease. We have 1.447 million tons of coal in the landfill, as much as we imported, and thanks to that, the landfills are full today," Vucic said.

The price of electricity, he underlined, would be the second lowest in Europe, because the desire was to save companies.

"Now the battle for the job is ahead. The US FED and the European Central Bank (ECB) are doing two things by raising interest rates - the FED wants more employment, and the ECB wants lower indebtedness. We follow the ECB, but our wish is to preserve the level of employment, that is, that the level of unemployment does not increase. It will be a big task for the government and all state bodies in the coming period," Vucic said.

Vucic said that any increase in the level of unemployment would lead to numerous imbalances, and that the state could withstand up to plus five percent.

"That's why we keep electricity prices low. When I said that we were the second country with the lowest energy price, I included this increase in the price of gas and electricity. As for gas, we are the first with the lowest price in Europe, and the second for electricity. We keep that in order to make it easier for the people, but above all for the sake of our companies, so that we indirectly subsidize them to preserve employment," he said.

The Serbian Army is unrecognizable today

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, said tonight that so far a lot had been invested in the Serbian Army, which today was unrecognizable compared to the earlier period.

As he said, the main task was to increase the number of members of special units from 1,500 to 5,000, and the basic salary would be over 2,000 Euros.

"Salaries will be huge, basic over 2,000 Euros, and on-call, night shifts, overtime work, almost 3,000 Euros. There will be a competition soon, apply," Vucic said.

The Serbian Army, he added, was seriously arming itself, stating that launchers and rockets had been delivered to Serbia, which had been ordered and paid for three days ago.

"Serbia is a little stronger now," said Vucic and added that investments would be made and the Ministry of Interior Affairs and Security Information Agency will be strengthened.

Kosovo is not recognized by 106 countries

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, pointed out tonight that, as things stood currently in the world, as many as 106 countries did not recognize the independence of Kosovo, only 84 unequivocally recognized it and three countries are indecisive.

He also published a list of countries that withdrew their recognition in the past period.

"We have nine countries that have withdrawn recognition - Somalia, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Eswatini, Libya, Guinea, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia, Maldives. And we are waiting for the tenth," he said at the annual press conference.

Vucic said that we were facing difficult challenges regarding Kosovo and Metohija.

"We wanted peace and we barely managed to save it through no fault of our own. We have not provoked anyone for a single second, unless they say that our only provocation is that we perceive our citizens in Kosovo and Metohija as our citizens, or as part of the territory in accordance with the Constitution. No incident, no unilateral move was made by Serbia. We will not be ashamed of our constitution and people," he said.

He stated that Serbia was small and that we could not stand up to big powers - "America is big, Germany is big, Europe is big, and we are small".

"Can we stand up to them in the Council of Europe? It is hard. Can we go to UNESCO? We will fight. There is an Executive Council where half of the votes are required, but two-thirds of the votes are required for membership. That's going to be a little tougher for them. They will struggle. And they have already tried on several occasions, and we will also struggle," he said.

As for the UN, he says that he is waiting for experts to come and explain to him that this is the only possible way, and that he will have problems if he doesn't allow it.

"I am waiting for them to explain to me that this is the only way out for Serbia, 'Vucic has a noose around his neck', as some media say, not for Serbia, but for Vucic. You can tie that noose on a chicken, but it's hard on a proud man, who won't turn his back and bow to the occupier," he underlined.

He said that Serbia would continue its struggle and that it would always want peace with the Albanians, respect for all signed agreements.

"We are not running away from any of the six that we have signed, five signed, and the sixth is the UN Charter. Kosovo and the international community are running away from those agreements. They blackmail and threaten, and we must protect our freedom and independence, our Serbia. We have no other country. It won't be easy and it won't be simple," he stressed.

"They haven't managed to break me yet, how they will break all the other heroes in the country. I will gladly be a bulwark and a shield," he underlined.

We want a compromise, not humiliation for Serbia

Vucic said tonight that Belgrade was ready to discuss countless compromise solutions on the issue of Kosovo, but those solutions must be exactly that - a compromise, not the humiliation of Serbia.

When asked by a journalist what solution Serbia could put on the table when a new dialogue took place, Vucic replied that, not wanting to be cynical and malicious, whenever someone offered a solution, certain media "killed the messenger and common sense" before anyone thought about what was good for Serbia.

"We stick to our Constitution. That's all I can say. We are ready to discuss countless compromise solutions, but not humiliation for Serbia and the Serbian people," Vucic said.

When asked how the latest crisis could affect Albin Kurti and whether there would be elections in Kosovo and Kurti's possible fall, Vucic said that he did not want to get involved.

"No matter how much they want to replace me, so far five negotiators from Pristina have changed, and one remains the same from central Serbia. And, they were always successful and stronger, as the media write... Only the people in central Serbia were always more satisfied than those in Pristina", said Vucic.

Asked if there would be elections in Serbia this year, he replied that the elections are "the least important".

All the best to the people of the Republic of Srpska (RS)  and even more unity with Serbia

Vucic wished the people of Republic of  Srpska, on the occasion of the upcoming holidays and Srpska Day, all the best, more unity between Serbia and the RS without destroying the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This is exactly what Defense Minister Milos Vucevic said, Vucic said in response to a question about the minister's congratulatory message.

"You forgot to read the subtext and the pretext. This is about celebrating holidays together, not national unification. He said the usual thing we say every day. Serbian unity should not bother anyone," he underlined.

Vucic said that he was happy that he was a lightning rod for Serbia and all normal people in the country.

"Only when you overthrow me will you be able to overthrow all normal people in this country and Serbia," he emphasized.

Asked about the survey of public opinion on the homogeneity of the parties, Vucic emphasized that the homogeneity of SNS is the highest with 67 to 68 percent.

"I read that nonsense two years ago when they said we were losing the elections, and I won in the first round with a small margin of 1.6 million votes, despite the fact that you robbed me of 50,000 in Kosovo and Metohija with the help of the international community and Kurti who did not allow voting", he emphasized.

As for leaving the party leadership, he said that he was waiting for them to schedule a congress.

"The elections in the largest number of committees have ended, so let me fulfill their wishes. Every day you say that I am the worst, stupidest dictator, jerk, that my family members are criminals. Don't you want such a jerk and a criminal at the head of the biggest party in the country, that's the easiest way to win," he said.

He pointed out that in the last 11 years, more highways had been built than in the previous 67 years, factories had been opened for 230,000 people, while earlier authorities had closed factories for 400,000 workers.

"It's good to speak well of your country, don't speak badly of it," Vucic asked.

In connection with media reports that he had told lies during 2022, he referred to the visit of a Serbian president to Jasenovac.

"There was once Boris Tadic in Donja Gradina. I've been there eight times, so what. I have also been to Jasenovac, several times, but never as the president. No president of Serbia has ever been to Jasenovac because they did not allow it. I am the first president who expressed in writing his intention to go to Jasenovac," he underlined.

He also said that he was sorry that he did not decide to call a referendum on the exploitation of lithium. Because he had listened to liars, we gave up on the biggest investment, he said.

"Maybe they will wait for the referendum and we will see how it goes. This year will not be easy, on the contrary, it will be much more difficult than the previous one, but if we are united and believe in our politics, if we stick together, if we are united in our basic goals, no one can break Serbia and win. I expect another good and positive year for Serbia, continued growth of the standard of living, even more young people who see their future in their country, even more satisfied elderly and middle-aged people, for Serbia to continue on the path of victory and success," Vucic concluded.