Vucic: Situation to be even worse today, Pristina is applying for membership in Council of Europe

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic said last tonight, after a working dinner in Brussels organized by head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell, that Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Provisional Institutions of Pristina Donika Gervala Schwartz confirmed that she would today submit a request for membership of so-called Kosovo in the Council of Europe.

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"I said that this is a violation of all, not only the principles of international public law, but also of the norms from certain agreements, from the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 to the Washington Agreement. It has become meaningless to say that for over 3,210 days they have had no intention of even talking about forming the ZSO (Community of Serb Municipalities)," he said.

Vucic believes that Pristina will continue with those initiatives, which brings additional turbulence.

"They think that they are using the Ukrainian situation, accusing Serbia of being an extended arm of Russia. They think that they can use the situation against Serbia and gain more than they expected before, presenting themselves as a great fighter against Russian totalitarianism and alleged fascism," he said.

In the next 36 hours, I will schedule session of the Council for National Security

Vucic said that Serbia is facing a difficult period and added that he would schedule a session of the Council for National Security within the next 36 hours and that Serbia will start reacting politically.

"If someone thinks that they can blackmail us and break Serbia with pressure, that will not go as smoothly as they imagine," Vucic told reporters.

On the international scene, we will fight for further withdrawal of recognitions of Kosovo and Metohija, said Vucic.

He said that last night he had bilateral meetings with Josep Borelli and Oliver Varhelyi and that after that a working dinner was held with the leaders of the Western Balkans.

Vucic said that he will be even more firmly committed to further progress within the Open Balkan initiative.

"We received sincere understanding on various issues, primarily with the representatives of North Macedonia and Albania, because we are in a not every easy position. Is the situation complicated for us, yes, tomorrow it will be even worse," said Vucic.

Vucic: A lot will be clarified on June 23

When asked about Serbia's entry into the EU and speeding up that path, Vucic said that it was our strategic goal, but that he could not speak on behalf of the EU, and that our goal was to continue working on fulfilling the conditions and implementing reforms, on further democratization, media freedoms...

Vucic also stated that he expects that many things will be clarified by mid June and by the big summit on the Western Balkans on June 23, where French President Macron will take on a great responsibility.

"I have certain thoughts on that issue, but I must not say something without bearing political responsibility for it," said Vucic.

He pointed out that Serbia has nowhere else to go but to Europe, but while preserving its national interests.

He said that Serbia was the fastest growing economy in Europe for 24 months straight, that it had 4.3 percent growth in the first quarter, but that now there are big problems, just like everywhere else.

When it comes to the status of Ukraine as a candidate according to the "Cypriot model" Vucic says that when Serbia makes decisions, they mean something.

"Ukrainians are our friends, and when it comes to principles, wherever you look in the world, you will understand that there are no principles and that only Serbia adheres to principles."

He says that we "must understand that it is important for us to adhere to morals in decision-making, and we can only adhere to international public law."

"If we think that we will win because of that or that we will benefit from that - we won't," said the president.

I will fight for national interests, no one in Serbia should worry, we will make decision that Serbia must and can live

Asked whether Josep Borrell had directly reiterated his call for all Western Balkan countries to join EU's policy, Vucic said, "Everyone, of course, whoever I met."

"I don't think they accepted my answer, but if you want to have someone who will be answer every request simply by nodding his head, then I have no problem. I've always said, choose someone else, and that's not a problem. I think that Serbia has set its policy, and if Serbia gets into a situation where it literally cannot survive in any way... In Serbia, no one should worry. We will make a decision that Serbia can and must live," said Vucic.

He added that as long as he can fight for state and national interests, he will continue to work.

"I have no fear, I am one of the political veterans who went through a lot of difficult things that some others don't face in a hundred of their terms in office," Vucic pointed out.

(Telegraf.rs)