Vucic: No trilateral meeting in Brussels, Kurti either did not want to or did not dare to meet with me

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic conveyed that there was no trilateral meeting in Brussels today with the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, special envoy Miroslav Lajcak, and Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti. He stated that European mediators informed him that Kurti was not ready to meet with him.

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, reported that there was no trilateral meeting in Brussels today with EU High Representative Josep Borrell, special envoy Miroslav Lajcak, and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Vucic mentioned to reporters, "The meeting with Borrell and Lajcak was proper, but the other meeting, the trilateral one with Kurti, did not happen. He either didn't want to or didn't dare to meet with me, you should ask him."

He added that he returned three times to the meeting with mediators, who conveyed Kurti's messages to him. When asked what Kurti was demanding, he replied:

"Nothing, the man doesn’t want to see me. Why did he come? I don't know."

Vucic emphasized his seriousness, stating that both Borrell and Lajcak informed him that Kurti was not ready for a meeting and that the dialogue should continue with the chief negotiators.

"Whether he didn't want to, or didn't dare, I'm too disagreeable for him... I don't know, he didn’t want to meet... I could have met with Borrell, as I met Lajcak last week... I wouldn't have traveled this far," Vucic concluded.

Vucic mentioned that he discussed the situation in Kosovo with the EU's high representative. He announced that talks with the main negotiators would continue next week, either on Tuesday or Wednesday.

"I expect the discussions to continue. We have a lot of work to do. It's a tough job for (the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija) Petar Petkovic and all the people working hard. The situation is difficult for our people in Kosovo and Metohija. In any case, we will continue to fight, to protect the interests of Serbia and try in every way to help our people," Vucic stated.

He highlighted that no one could guarantee that there would not be new unilateral measures by Pristina.

"When numerous representatives of the international community come to discuss CEFTA, goods trade with us, we accept everything for the hundredth time. We say we support the full freedom of movement of goods, services, capital, people, but in the end, Kurti always finds a reason why not. The second you say - lift the barriers so we can trade normally between Vranje, Kraljevo, Strpce, Gracanica – you get no response from the other side. And they won’t even criticize the Albanian side," Vucic emphasized.

Vucic underlined that Kurti is demanding Serbia to recognize Kosovo. "They want us to recognize Kosovo. Now they've come up with new demands, but it all boils down to recognition. It goes around in circles, but essentially, it’s a demand for 'de jure' recognition," Vucic pointed out.

He expressed confidence that EU mediators would have to state in their announcements today that there was a lack of willingness on one side to talk to the other. He added that it was important for Serbia that it had good meetings with EU representatives this morning.

Vucic appealed to ministers, anticipating a major crisis, not to act as in the times of socialist self-management, as the country suffers as a result. He stressed that finances, public debt, and everything else must remain under control.