It is revealed what was on Putin's list: NIS was also mentioned

Photo: Shutterstock,Tanjug/AP

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic said last night that he did everything to preserve good relations between Russia and Serbia and that they will remain good, but that he does not like the fact that the Russians never offered Serbia to buy (majority stake in) NIS (Petroleum Industry of Serbia).

Recommended

"Serbia has invested a lot in preserving good relations with Russia. More than any country in Europe. I sometimes mind that they value some others who imposed all possible sanctions against them and who are not allowed to establish a train line, let alone flights with Moscow, as closer friends. Their choice. My conscience is clear, I tried to preserve traditionally good relations and I think we have them. And I don't think anyone will undermine them," Vucic told RTS.

He emphasized that it is our vital interest to have good relations with Russia and that we will have them.

"Will we always have the questions about the withdrawal of Russian soldiers from Kosovo and about the choice of partners for NIS, we will. But there is no doubt that we will have to build further friendly relations going forward," Vucic said.

However, he added that the situation around NIS was not easy for him.

"I am the president of Serbia, I am accountable to the citizens of Serbia. I respect Russia, I respect America, I respect Europe, but I love Serbia. My job is to love Serbia, and even when it is not my job, I love Serbia the most in the world. And I will not love anything or anyone else in the world as much as I love Serbia. And then I see that some other countries are more important than us in terms of buying something," said Vucic.

He added that he has the best possible relationship with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and that he would like Orban to win the Hungarian elections.

"I think it's important for the stability of our country, the region, all of it. But let me tell you, was I happy when I saw that they (Russians) chose Orban and the Hungarians over us (to buy NIS)? Well, I wasn't. What do you expect from me? Should I jump for joy? Should I say that I'm so happy about that?," Vucic said.

When the interviewer asked if he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the export of Serbian ammunition to Ukraine, as well as about NIS, Vucic said that they spoke about that twice.

"Putin read from a list and then I, based on what he read from the list, realized who gave him the list. I told him, one of my traitors delivered it to you, it was not your services that did it. He said, my services are great, he praised them, etc. And I told him that only I and one other person saw that list, because I asked to receive the list in that form," stated Vucic.

He explained that Putin's list included a country to which Serbia does not export weapons, but cartridges for hunting rifles, and that he knows that country is not on any other list.

"Putin was, I have to admit, very fair. He then continued to praise his services. A great leader. As we were leaving, he said - 'at least you were partially right, you know what your job is'," said Vucic.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)