Vucic: We are not preparing for war; Kurti is nervous and would like to gain the "halo of a war victor" against Serbia

Belgrade is not preparing for war in Kosovo, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated tonight, emphasizing that Albin Kurti was nervous because he was unsure about the outcome of the war in Ukraine or the results of the US elections, so he wanted something to happen that would trigger NATO intervention and allow him to gain the "halo of a war victor".

When asked if Belgrade was preparing for war, which Kurti had been talking about for the past two days, citing a video showing Serbian army members near the "border" with Kosovo, Vucic told TV Prva that Serbia was not preparing for war.

"First, I don't recognize that as a border, but as an administrative line. The footage shown is from the Ground Safety Zone, which, according to the Military Technical Agreement from Kumanovo and UN Security Council Resolution 1244, we have the right to guard and protect," Vucic said, specifying that there were now fewer soldiers there than before, but they were well-trained.

He added that the Serbian Army cooperated well with KFOR, and there were no issues there.

"Kurti is very nervous, as evidenced by statements from Western analysts because he is not sure how the war in Ukraine or the US elections will end. So, he wants something to happen soon, hoping NATO would intervene, and he could gain the halo of a war victor against Serbia," Vucic pointed out.

Therefore, he emphasizes, Serbia reacts calmly, patiently, and smartly, because what is needed is not war but peace.

Commenting on Kurti presenting his words as a threat, referring to Vucic's statement that Serbia will wait for a favorable moment for political action, Vucic said he could only repeat that sentence:

"Serbia will not rush into war conflicts, as some would like to lead it into, nor will it do what some expect. Serbia is changing its approach and will wait for a favorable moment for political action."

He questioned - where is the call to anyone for war in that statement?

Regarding the words of the US Assistant Secretary of State James O'Brien that "Vucic knows that Washington considers the use of force against Kosovo unacceptable," he said that he was familiar with that stance of the US and that it was as unacceptable as the use of force against Serbia in 1999 when international law had been violated.

"But they are powerful, and we will be patient, wise, and wait for a different political opportunity. No one will ever wash away what they did in 1999. They better keep quiet than say all this in recent days... They have to justify that because they know Putin will present them with a bill if he crosses the Dnieper near Kherson... He will tell them - you have one Kosovo, and I have four or five Kosovos...," Vucic concluded.

Membership of Kosovo in the Council of Europe - "de facto" expulsion of Serbia from that organization

Vucic also emphasized that Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe would be a "de facto" expulsion of Serbia from that organization.

He warned that it would be very unpleasant when it became known how world powers had lied to Serbia regarding the Council of Europe.

"No problem, you go ahead with that, and then we'll see if Serbia will stay in the Council of Europe or not. Well, let's see, maybe you prefer having Pristina rather than Belgrade and Serbia in the Council of Europe," Vucic said in response to a question about whether Kosovo would be admitted to the Council of Europe after implementing the decision to return the property to the Visoki Decani Monastery.

"I don't know if it will be exactly on March 27, maybe some 27th it will be. Because they don't care. They will see surprises, and the whole world will find out what liars they are. If you analyze the European map, those 200 worst ones who speak against Serbia will never see the European Parliament... From Viola von Cramon to many others," Vucic is convinced.

He emphasized that Serbia could hardly prevent Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe because that decision had been made contrary to all discussions and agreements they had had with everyone in the Western Balkans.

He reminded that the CSM was the condition of all conditions, but now "the CSM is nowhere to be found." He also mentioned that Serbs had been forced to sign petitions for the dismissal of mayors in the north despite promises that it was not necessary.

"Someone who has basic trust can be deceived once, I trusted. I talked to both Lajcak and Escobar and received assurances from both the EU and the US. I told Radojicic and others in Raska that I couldn't get anything more than that. They warned me that they were lying and that they would chase them like rabbits. I told them that they were great powers and that it would not happen, and after a month and a half, they are chasing them like rabbits," Vucic said regarding the Banjska case.

Wherever the Serbian flag is raised - it's a call to war

Commenting on claims that he, together with the President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik and the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Porfirije, presented a "Serbian conquest program" and that on May 5th or 6th, they will "embark on a campaign," Vucic emphasized that these were "nonsense," and he didn't care what Kurti or anyone else had to say.

"When nobody mentions any invasions or wars, they see a call to war in everything. When they directly call for war every day, they don't see anything wrong with it. When they see calls for the creation of a 'Greater Albania' every day, they don't see any problem in that," the President of Serbia noted.

He also pointed out that it was not a problem when Albanian and Kosovo flags were flown anywhere in the region or the world, but it became a call to war wherever the Serbian flag was raised.

He said that he had been hearing about the next war in the region being in Kosovo for two years now.

"Why would I ever tell them what we're going to do? But I did give them one answer for sure. If you force us to accept the worst possible things for our country, you will never be able to do so again because we don't trust you anymore," Vucic stated.

Regarding the formation of a new government, Vucic stated that the new Government of Serbia would be elected well before the deadline of May 6th, expressing his belief that the name of the prime minister-designate would be announced within seven days.

He expects the government to be formed very quickly.

He congratulated the new President of the Serbian Parliament, former Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, on her election to that position.