Vucic: Kosovo is a stumbling block, but one thing is certain - we will not recognize it

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, pointed out today that the key question for the country is - what are the goals and what is to be achieved, emphasizing that Kosovo is an issue that is a stumbling block in internal politics, but also a source of great pressure from the outside.

Vucic told for TV Pink that the only thing known is that Serbia will not recognize Kosovo.

"Can we agree on Kosovo? No, and we never will. We can't. We can lie to ourselves that we agree on that issue. One part thinks that we should hand over Kosovo as soon as possible so that Serbia will be healthier, but they are afraid to say that, and others say that Kosovo should be defended at all costs, but without them and their children. We are doing everything possible to preserve the Constitution. Kosovo is a stumbling block in the country, not to mention on these occasions the pressures coming from outside, which it's not easy to endure," said the president of Serbia.

Vucic, recalling the words of former French President Charles de Gaulle, pointed out that citizens of Serbia and Serbs should ask themselves what they want from themselves, for their country, what they want the country to look like and whether they can do it.

He said that an issue must be found on which citizens of Serbia and Serbs can agree.

"Is it the EU? Most will say yes. But someone will ask the question - the EU wants us to recognize Kosovo de facto and de jure. They are essentially asking for it. That is what the most important EU country is asking for. When we get to that, we will understand that half of people is against it," he noted.

That is why he notes that new goals must be found on which the Serbs will agree.

"That's why I said Expo 2027 is our goal, which must raise and develop the country in every segment, so that in the future someone could more easily define national goals. We have to make deep and fundamental changes in all spheres of life. In three years, many cities will not be recognizable," underlined Vucic.

Pristina and the whole world rose up - not because of the number of soldiers on the administrative line, but because we landed complex combat systems for the first time.

Vucic pointed out that the Serbian Army today is a hundred times stronger than before, and that only a depraved mind can compare today's army with that of 15 years ago.

He mentioned that the army, when he organized the air show as the Minister of Defense, had only one plane, and today it has 14 modern, armed fighters.

"We have 10 bombers, eagles, the most training planes in history. We have 11 times as many helicopters, and 12 more are coming, all of them are armed. Look at how a soldier looks to us today, how he looked then, what is his salary now...

Does he have boots, uniforms. But do we need a much stronger army, we do," Vucic said.

In this sense, he pointed out that the "controversy" about the presence of the Serbian Army on the administrative line did not arise because of the number of soldiers, but because of the modern weapons that were found there for the first time.

"We had 14,000 soldiers at the administrative line, but we didn't deploy the most modern systems. When we had 8,000 soldiers, the whole world went crazy, because we deployed complex combat systems for the first time. They knew they were armed with Bayraktars, but that we have machines that will tear them down as soon as they see them. So, you are preparing for what you want, and Serbia cannot protect its land?", said President Vucic.

That's why he underlined - without the army you are nothing, they would trample us.

When it comes to the proposal to reintroduce regular military service, Vucic said that it would certainly not happen "overnight", and that he would first consider it with his military cabinet, and that it was necessary to determine how long it would take to prepare the barracks, establish the rules.

He also added that Serbia, after Hungary, Romania and Greece, would be the strongest force in terms of air force.