Vucic: This moment is not an easy one; these are tectonic changes, and we are behaving responsibly

I cannot say this moment is an easy one, it's important that we behave responsibly and seriously, Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic said on Pink TV channel on Sunday evening.

"This is about great political, almost tectonic changes. After ten years, Serbs made a decision to leave Pristina's institutions", said Vucic.

He remarked that the stories implying that the Serbs were acting by order of someone in Belgrade – which suited both the foreigners and Albin Kurti – were utter nonsense, and that there was never any will to realistically look at the problems Serbs in Kosovo were facing.

As he said, every time Pristina would violate an agreement – when they beat up Marko Djuric, when they said there was no UN SC Resolution 1244 or UN Charter – the Serbs wanted to leave the institutions.

"I pleaded with them every time and I thank them for listening to me and believing in what I said, because they know I stand with them. It never came into question whether I would stand with our people or with foreigners in order to fawn on some world elites. I believe I prevented them from doing so at least twenty times," Vucic said.

He recalled Albin Kurti in Berlin saying that the Community of Serb Municipalities did not interest him and that it wouldn’t happen, while also announcing a gradual humiliation of Serbs regarding the license plates.

"Representatives of the Quint countries are misleading the public when they say he has a right to do so and have it postponed for ten months. They have no right to take away the KM (Kosovo and Metohija) license plates from Serbs. But they're playing dumb and cannot say it out loud because Kosovo is an independent state for them. They lied regarding that. And then, Kurti, acting through his criminal Svecla, dismissed a Serb man who didn't want to violate the Brussels Agreement and international law. They suspended Nenad Djuric, which they had no right to do. The mayors of the four northern municipalities have that right", said Vucic.

When they restated they wouldn't establish the Community of Serb Municipalities and that they would continue their license plate terror followed by their illegal suspension of Djuric, the Serbs, he added, said they wouldn't put up with such terror.

"I tried to partially dissuade them, but I also told them I'd stand with them no matter what they decided", said Vucic.

When asked about the possibility of returning to the state of affairs prior to the Brussels Agreement, Vucic said that Serbia had its own healthcare and school system in Kosovo.

"Those are in our hands, whereas I haven’t thought about bringing back the civil defense," he said.

Vucic noted that he was surprised by the determination of the Kosovo Serbs, adding that he understood the courage it took and how hard it must have been for police officers Nenad Djuric and Aleksandar Filipovic. He also announced that one of them would be awarded a decoration and the other a medal. Talking about Milorad Corac, who had refused the position of the new Regional Police Directorate commander in the north of Kosovo, Vucic stated that he had conducted himself in a correct manner.

Commenting on the rally held in the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica last Sunday, Vucic underlined that people had clearly shown what they thought of the entire situation. On the other hand, to call Serbs to go back to Kosovo institutions while previously asking for the revocation of their license plates was, as he stated, another dirty trick by Kurti.

"If the Americans are smart and fair enough, they will tell KFOR and EULEX to conduct their police business in the north of Kosovo.  I believe it can contribute to peace-keeping, no matter how long it lasts. And, if they think the Albanians will start arranging things in the north, which – according to both the Brussels Agreement and the will of the people – they have no right doing, I'm afraid it will lead to a catastrophe", Vucic pointed out.

When asked if one of the possible future scenarios would be Pristina declaring a state of emergency and entering the north of Kosovo, the Serbian president said it might happen, but that NATO could put a stop to that.

"I hope NATO will have enough wisdom and maturity to stop something like that," Vucic announced.

He said Serbia would try to maintain peace and stability.

"Now, it's time for the Community of Serb Municipalities and the revocation of the license plate decision, as well as for Kurti to keep to the letter of what was signed. When he learns to do that, we can continue forward," Vucic said.

When speaking about the drone shot down at Raska, he said it had not been a NATO military drone.

"Compared to satellites, drones enable one to see many things better and in greater detail at any given time ", the Serbian president continued, underscoring that the Serbian Armed Forces were stronger than before.

"We are a small army, but ten times stronger than we used to be. We now have fourteen MiG-29s, as compared to only one we had while I held the position of the Minister of Defense," Vucic concluded.