Vuletic: Vucic's messages to the UN at the right moment; I expect a change in the attitude of the West towards the situation in Kosovo

Sociologist Vladimir Vuletic assessed for Kosovo Online that the speech given yesterday by the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic at the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly had come at the right moment and that the messages about the importance of respecting international law and principles, as well as the position of Belgrade regarding Kosovo had resonated more strongly than before, given the challenges the whole world was facing.

"In Vucic's address, the keyword was principled, actually pointing out the fact that the case of Kosovo and the way in which that case was treated by the West was a precedent that the world dragged in and allowed everything to come to today's situation, which is on the verge of breaking out and, I would say, a global war," Vuletic said.

He adds that the key message of Vucic's speech was a call for everyone to adhere to the UN Charter in principle.

"What should be emphasized is that in the speech itself, in terms of content, there was not much new compared to what we had the opportunity to hear from the President several times. What is important and what is new is the context, I mean the place from which those words were spoken and the time they were spoken. Now, those same words, which five years ago sounded like catchphrases, take on new meaning and can potentially have much more power than they did a few years ago or when spoken in Serbia," Vuletic points out.

He emphasizes that it seems to him that this is the most important thing when it comes to yesterday's speech.

"I think the time when this was said is the moment when there will be more receptiveness to what the President was talking about yesterday. He repeated it several times, and several times we only had the opportunity to hear that both sides should refrain, meaning that blame is shared. This time, I would say that this was the right moment when there will be more openness to what Serbia is conveying," Vuletic believes.

He adds that he believes that after yesterday's speech by Vucic before the UN General Assembly, as well as what is happening on the ground in Kosovo and what happened in Brussels, after the failure of the last round of dialogue, there will be certain developments.

"We cannot expect it to happen overnight, a certain kind of patience is necessary. I believe that in the coming period, a lot will change when it comes to Western policy towards the situation in Kosovo," Vuletic said.

He believes that everything said at this moment can bring a certain benefit to Serbia in the talks between Belgrade and Pristina.

"This is the moment when Serbia, that is, its President, was able to say clearly and loudly what he said, which is a principled position that Serbia has constantly advocated. And we and the President are aware that what he said will hardly change the world, but it was said at the moment when it can bring a significant benefit to Serbia in the talks between Belgrade and Pristina, it can make a great contribution to the position of Serbia and the position of the Serbs in Kosovo," Vuletic points out.