Vucic on Picula's appointment: We understood the message from the European Parliament

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic commented today on the appointment of Tonino Picula as the European Parliament's rapporteur for Serbia and said that Serbia will work with him but also that they have "understood the message from the European Parliament."

Responding to a journalist's question about Picula's appointment, Vucic said he was in no hurry to comment.

"We will work with him and talk to him, but we have clearly understood the message from the European Parliament," he said, before also addressing the new EP rapporteur for Kosovo.

"You know that Kaja Kallas is the head of EU security and foreign affairs. The main person is Matti Maasikas, also from Estonia. That's already two people from Estonia. Do you know who is the main rapporteur for so-called Kosovo in the European Parliament? As I hear, it will be another Estonian. And do you know who the head of the European Commission's Office in Kosovo is? Again, an Estonian. Very strange, you'll agree. And for us, they gave a Croat, thanks a lot," Vucic said, explaining that the issue was not that the person is from Croatia, but rather their views.

"But, well, we will work with him, and we will see how it goes, but we have understood the message, it will be interesting," the Serbian president stated.

The President of the Serbian Parliament, Ana Brnabic, reacted similarly.

"Well done, EU! We got your message loud and clear," she wrote on her account on the platform "X".

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin also reacted to Picula's appointment.

"Appointing Tonino Picula as the European Parliament's rapporteur for Serbia and expecting him to be objective is like expecting the Croatian government to apologize for the crimes committed against Serbs during Operation Storm," Vulin stated.

He added ironically that "there is some good in every evil."

"The choice of Picula as rapporteur, whose opinion will influence Serbia's EU accession process, is a clear sign that there is nothing to expect from that path, and that the EU wants Serbia in its ranks just as much as Croatia wants Serbs in its government and parliament. Serbs, what isn't clear to you?" Vulin said.