To the statement that Serbia can join the EU only “together with the neighboring state of Kosovo”, which it does not recognize, and the question of when that will change, Vučić answered the German newspaper that it is a matter of different views of the situation and conditions in Brussels.
“You say it’s a neighboring country, we don’t. It’s a matter of the EU’s vision and condition. We see it differently. Yes, and we have to find a compromise with Pristina and work hard on it. For you, it’s something that’s been done since 2008. “But for us, of course, that is not the case. For Madrid, Athens, Nicosia, Bratislava, it is also not clear, they do not recognize Pristina,” Vucic told Bild.
Asked what that compromise might look like, Vučić said that he was worried, because, according to what he sees today, and especially after the inauguration of US President Joseph Biden, only Belgrade will be pressured again.
“That’s why I’m worried. If we want to keep the peace, if we want more investors to come from Germany, then we need sustainable solutions. I don’t believe in frozen conflicts, unlike most people here, because there is always a danger that one day someone will come and thaw them “, the President of Serbia emphasized.
When asked who it is easier for him to negotiate – with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chinese President Xi Jinping, or French President Emanuel Macron, or German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Vucic underlined that he must talk to everyone and that they also talk between yourself.
“Why can you talk to Russia about ‘Nord Stream’, why can you talk to China about their factories and companies? Why would you be the only ones who have that right?” Vucic asked.
About Merkel’s withdrawal from politics
During the interview, Vučić expressed his desire to say something about Chancellor Merkel, since he is leaving politics at the end of the week.
“Honestly, I think all the best about her and I want to say that now. She saved us in 2015, ensured peace here. We are not always of the same attitude, for example, around Kosovo. But she always has time to listen to us and enough respect for our country, “Vucic said.
Asked who will lead Europe after Merkel, Vučić said that, when it comes to countries, Germany and France will do it, and when it comes to personalities, he does not know, he says, whether it will be Armin Lašet or Marcus Seder.
“However, Seder and Lashet should not be offended – I would always choose Angela Merkel. She is not a simple person, but I really love her very much,” Vucic emphasized.
About vaccines: The countries of the region are looking at us
Vučić emphasized that by the end of February, Serbia wants to vaccinate 15 to 20 percent of the population, and added that other countries in our region have not yet received a single dose of vaccine, and not through their fault, because they relied entirely on the EU’s Kovaks program. .
“Now they are looking at us, they expect everything from us and they will get it from us,” Vučić pointed out in an interview with the German Bild.
When asked how Serbia, unlike the EU, succeeded so quickly, he said that Serbia had talks very early with everyone who produces vaccines and who wants to get it.
“First, we paid two million euros to Brussels for the development of the vaccine. For comparison, Bulgaria, which is a member of the EU, paid only 100,000 euros. We paid five million to the ‘Covax’ program of the World Health Organization and the EU,” Vucic said.
He added that vaccines were not obtained from that program.
“Whenever I was in Brussels and asked for specific delivery dates, I got the answer – ” as soon as we get it in the EU. ” Then I knew there would be a lot of problems for my country. That’s why we started talks with to all others, including Great Britain, China, Russia and others, “the President of Serbia emphasized.
When asked when he then got the vaccines, Vučić mentioned China, the USA and Russia.
“I had to find out who we need to talk to in which country – the state leadership, but also the secret services, chiefs of police and armed forces. I wrote eight letters to Chinese President Xi Jinping, and then we talked on the phone,” Vucic pointed out.
Vučić said that he called the Chinese president, because his job is to help the citizens of his country.
“You can imagine what it would mean for me if I couldn’t do that,” he added.
To the conclusion that Serbia is a candidate for EU accession and the question whether he is happy now, regarding the procurement of the vaccine, that he is not yet part of the Union, Vučić answered “no, I do not draw such conclusions”.
“I don’t want to anger anyone, but we have done our job here. I can only tell you that I would not be satisfied with my job if there were not enough vaccines,” the president underlined.
About relations with China and Russia
Asked who is a better partner for him – China, Russia or the EU, Vučić reiterated that Serbia is on the path to the EU, and that it is a strategic path, and that both Moscow and Beijing know that.
“We are cooperating on both sides, we have to live and we have to survive. It is hypocritical that when Serbia gets investors from China, it is a problem for many, even though they themselves have a thousand times bigger trade with China than our country,” he added. .
Asked if he respects Russian President Vladimir Putin, who imprisoned his sharpest critic, Alexei Navalny, Vucic said that he would not interfere in anyone’s internal affairs.
“We are not the EU, we are not the United States, nor Germany. We have to take care of ourselves, because we are still a poor country,” Vucic said.
When asked if his case was unimportant, Navalny Vucic answered “we take care of our country and look at Russia as our friend.”
Asked about the attitude towards China, recalling that in March, when protective masks were delivered from that country, he publicly kissed the flag of the “bloody dictatorship, to praise the ‘dictator’ Xi” and that China is building a railway in Serbia, Vucic said “he is no communist” and that his job is to do something for his country.
“At a time when no one wanted to give us anything, they delivered respirators, which saved thousands of lives in the corona crisis,” Vucic mentioned.
Speaking about the construction of the railway, Vučić mentioned the conversation with the head of the EU Delegation in Belgrade.
“It was about the European railway, the section from the Bulgarian border to Nis that we are building with the Europeans. Now it was about the further section towards Belgrade: We wanted a speed of up to 240 kilometers per hour. The EU told us no, that they could offer us a railway for speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour, with the question of why we want to build faster railways.The Chinese came and said, ‘that’s the price for that variant and this one for another.’ Beijing was able to start work in the same year. “We did it? We chose a better agreement, which is faster and more favorable,” Vucic explained.
“Germany favors the EU”
When asked how important Germany is to Serbia, Vučić reminded that Germany is more popular than the EU.
“Without Germany, we cannot survive, we would not have such high rates of economic growth,” Vucic added.
For that, we need the right partners. The largest employers in our country are German companies such as ‘Bosch’, ‘ZF’, ‘Siemens’ and ‘Continental’, which employ more than 70,000 people. And citizens like to work in German companies. For example, ‘Leoni AG’ employs 11,000 people. We are currently negotiating with two, three major car manufacturers. We are also talking to smaller companies such as “Doctor Etker”, concluded Vučić.
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