"Average salary to be €1,174 in December 2026, considerable increase of pensions" Vucic: I'm proud of that

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic appeared on RTS1 last night and spoke about the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, the economy, and global challenges.

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"This is about an organized criminal action by the Pristina authorities, aided by the loud silence from Western countries. They are silent because they hope that, in silence, the Serb people will be expelled. Everywhere, especially in the East, this causes anxiety, what Kurti is doing, but also nervousness. We must try to oppose the fierce onslaught by the Albanians who, with the help of some Western powers, but also Turkey, are trying to provoke recognition of independent Kosovo."

"We don't have a stick with which we can threaten, as they do, but we are standing up to it. There will soon be good news for our people in Kosovo and Metohija and the whole of Serbia, as far as our position at the international level is concerned. It is difficult for our people. We asked for a 13.1 kilometer road to Jarinje to be built. We are ready to pay for the entire road to northern Kosovska Mitrovica. For us, that would be a success and an important path to peace, something big for the Serb people in those four municipalities, but also for Albanians," said Vucic.

"It is their child (Pristina authorities), they gave birth to it, they support it and they don't care what is bad, irresponsible and will always be on its side. We are not big enough, but with our energy and fighting spirit, I think we can achieve something."

"Everyone's worried about situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina"

"Everyone in the state leadership of Serbia has a big concern - we are all worried about the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially the Serb Republic (RS). The pressure that is being exerted against the RS from the outside is heavy and almost unbearable. Sanctions have been imposed against Milorad Dodik's grandchild as well. Serbia will do its best to preserve peace and stability. But is there justice? There is not."

"I don't know when EU clusters will be opened"

"It is up to us to fulfill what we promised, a set of media laws, a regulatory body and acceptance of ODIR's recommendations regarding the process. It's important to completely remove false doubts about the election processes. They must learn that it is not all about shouting, writing graffiti, but about politics."

"We never canceled programs, we put up with everything"

"We have a very diverse media scene, but it's always good to improve that situation, so that the state of democracy is at a higher level. We've never canceled programs, we put up with and withstood everything, even when RTS joined the witch hunt against the state."

"We'll work toward successful conclusion of this IMF visit"

"Serbia has been brutally attacked by the 'blockaders', destroyed economically. Today, when you don't attend classes for 10 days, you've fallen behind what would have been three months in the past. Today, six months are like three years before. You loose knowledge and the opportunity to acquire it. Children are the biggest victim."

Pensions will grow

"Pensions will grow, considerably so, and I am very happy for the pensioners. Regardless of all the harmful consequences -if it weren't for these consequences, they would grow by double digits. This way I hope it will be 7.9 percent, but there will definitely be an increase," Vucic said, and added:

"I am starting talks with trade unions. The minimum wage is always borne by employers, but we will take a good part of the burden onto ourselves, but the employers will also have to take on a part of it. In 2013, we had almost 520,000 people receiving the minimum wage, today we have 95,000 people officially on the minimum wage.

We have to strengthen Nis, Kragujevac, Kraljevo. The increase in the minimum wage will also affect everything else. According to our calculation, which was carried out precisely, the average salary, at the level of Serbia, will be 1,174 euros in December next year. In less than a year, we will have four times the salary we had in 2012.

The standard of citizens has doubled, these are the facts, and I am proud of that."

"We are building the high-speed railway between Belgrade and Nis, that is why we are building science and technology parks. That is why this visit by the IMF is important to us. I hope that our children will devote themselves to getting an education, that their parents will understand that we all committed a terrible crime together by not explaining to the children how terrible what happened is. I hope that people will devote themselves to work. The story of a color revolution is completely over, there will be more nervousness, attempts at radicalization, violence, but nothing will come of that. People are slowly returning to work, life," the president said, and concluded:

"Those who attacked us and said that I was a Russian spy, tomorrow will be saying something else. In Serbia, those who work for the West will always tell you that they do not work for the West but for Serbia - but only when they cooperate with the West. We are on the European path, but we had the courage to send the highest representative (himself) to the (Victory Day) parade in Moscow despite terrible pressure. People, don't worry, we will have good relations with everyone, I am glad that they all respect Serbia, and whether there will be pressure, whether they will ask us to something - that's certain. And I only serve my people and Serbia, and that policy will continue."

(Telegraf.rs)