Although European officials have been warning for days that Serbia could feel the consequences of Vučić's departure to Moscow on May 9, Foreign Affairs Minister Marko Đurić says that "there will be no interruption of EU integration or sanctions."
Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Djuric assessed on Saturday (May 10) that Serbian diplomacy has shown "consistency" in recent days, and that due to the visit of President Aleksandar Vučić to Moscow during the past days "there will be no interruption EU integration nor sanctions”.
He told RTS that in the coming days, the President of the European Council, Antonio Košta, and the head of EU diplomacy, Kaja Callas, will visit Belgrade, and that he actually expects the strengthening of relations with Brussels, which "will not be at the expense of Serbia's balanced foreign policy."
"There will be no interruption of (European) integration or sanctions, that will soon be seen, that we can only expect continued development," said Đurić.
Commenting Vučić's visit to Moscow, Đurić stated that it was important for the strengthening of the foreign policy position of the state regarding Kosovo and Metohija, as well as the economic strengthening of the country.
"We know that Serbia is one of the central entry points for exports to China... and that we get 85 percent of our gas through contracts with the Russian side, the extension of which is of strategic importance for Serbia. This visit will strengthen Serbia's economic and political potential, but at the same time, you could hear a clear message from the president at these meetings that Serbia is also on the European path," said Đurić.
Criticisms from Luxembourg, Belgium and Croatia
Speaking about his participation in the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers and foreign ministers of candidate countries for EU membership, which was held on Thursday in Warsaw, he said that the current European Commission showed "full commitment to Serbia progressing towards full membership (in the Union)".
Đurić also stated that the ideological spectrum of the participating ministers was "very colorful", that "it is not always easy to find the right angle and satisfy the audience with such diverse views", but that he was satisfied with Serbia's performance.
"There is a consensus for the European future and full membership... There were also representatives of Pristina and other neighbors who used the meeting to attack our leadership. There were criticisms about (Vučić's) departure to Moscow (from representatives of) Luxembourg, Belgium and Croatia, of course. Serbia has nothing to complain about," said the Serbian minister.
"We are openly against historical revisionism, we are proud of the fact that Serbia made a great contribution to the fight against fascism and Nazism... And our interest remains the safe supply of energy, preserving the memory of the generations who gave their lives in the fight... We are guided by our interests, we do not disparage anyone else, on the contrary," stated Đurić.
The head of Serbian diplomacy adds that Serbia wants to speed up the development of relations with the USA, that we have a strategic dialogue with the official Washington ahead, as well as that he is looking forward to the arrival of the new US ambassador.
The minister also announced that in the near future a big call will be announced under the name "Be a Serbian diplomat", through which students and experts will be invited to join the ranks of Serbian diplomacy, through which Serbia wants to "expand its presence in key geopolitical centers".
Just a few days before Đurić's statements that Vučić's visit to Moscow will not jeopardize EU integration, the President of Serbia said that he expects severe reactions from the European Union to his visit to the Russian Federation, but that he will "respond seriously" to them and, as he emphasized, tell them everything he thinks about every type of political relationship they had with Serbia.
The European Commission "deeply regrets"
The European Union deeply regrets the trip of the Serbian leadership to Moscow and participation in the commemoration of Victory Day in the Second World War, which Russia uses for propaganda - this is the first reaction of Brussels after Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić went to Russia to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Serbia must convince us of its strategic orientation towards the European Union and show a credible commitment to European values," said the written response of the spokesperson of the European Commission to Radio Free Europe (RSE).
In response, the European Commission points out that everyone should refrain from giving legitimacy to Putin's aggression against Ukraine.
"In order to show support for peace, the right place on May 9 is Kiev, not Moscow," added the answer.
They repeat that the European Union was "completely clear" to its partners, including candidate countries such as Serbia.
"Relations with Russia cannot proceed according to the principle of 'business as usual' (business as usual) with Vladimir Putin's regime and in the shadow of unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine," concludes the response of the European Commission.
European institutions have reacted to the announcements of Vučić's trip to Moscow before.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, during her visit to Belgrade, stated at the end of April that "it is up to the President of Serbia to decide whether to go to Moscow", but also that if Vučić really goes there, she will have a "much more difficult task to help Serbia remain firmly focused on the European path".
Sources: RTS/RSE
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