Vučić: "The whole world is going in a bad direction, we have to take care of Serbia"

BELGRADE -- The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, was hosted today in the morning program of TV Prva.

Source: B92 Sunday, 29.10.2023. | 11:49

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Printskrin: TV Prva

When asked about the position of our country a little more than a month after the incident in Banjska, the president says:

"Our country is not in an easy position, but people have no reason to worry, we endured and we will endure. When they talk about Banjska, many say that one person died, but four people died, actually. We are ready to fulfill things that do not concern the fulfillment of conditions for the independence of Kosovo, we are ready to do it, and someone has to form the CSO. The Albanians are coming up with trick after trick. They are not succeeding, but all this is to the detriment of our people in Kosovo, who suffer Kurti's terror," said Vučić.

Vučić added that the negotiations are like a vicious circle, and that the Albanians are inventing trick after trick in order to deceive someone in Europe or the USA.

"I did not ask for any accompanying letter, as Kurti said. I said that we are ready to fulfill our obligations, and then I put a comma and added that we cannot accept anything related to the recognition of Kosovo or membership in the UN. I said that in Ohrid and in Chisinau, I repeat it all the time," said Vučić. He added that he consulted with lawyers and professors, and that is why he insists on those two questions every time.

"Kurti doesn't want to talk about the CSM. You saw that in many countries there are political actors who don't want to see the CSM, like Alicia Kearns. On the other hand, the authorities in Germany are looking to implement it, but I'm talking about some other circles," Vucic said. Vučić then read what was requested in Brussels.

"They asked to condemn a violent act by paramilitary groups that support the Serbian authorities. Our neighbors wanted to insert that, but it didn't go through. Everyone knows who those neighbors are. They are not Albanians, they are not members of the European Council," he said.

About conflicts in the world

Regarding the situation in Kosovo and Metohija in the context of conflicts in the world, President Vučić adds that he fears every day.

"Serbia is never as strong as I would like it to be. Neither economically nor militarily. I know every shortcoming in terms of manpower, equipment, technique, everything that is missing. But I also know how far ahead we are compared to the period of a decade ago, and I know that many countries in the region were ahead of us, and now they are behind us," he says. Vučić points out that the economy must grow, in order for the country to be more resistant to what is happening.

"I don't know if there will be problems with oil and gas. But we have made sure that we have reserves. If someone cancels everything, we have enough gas and oil for 40 days. That is not a little, but we will expand our capacities. If someone cut off the gas supply, you can't pull all capacities immediately, but we have enough for basic capacities. If the third world war broke out, we would have enough," said Vučić.

He believes that the world is on the verge of a world conflict due to the influx of great powers into regional wars.

"The West wants to preserve its dominance, and in the military sense it has been seen that the most powerful military powers, such as the USA and Israel, have many cracks, and it can be seen that some smaller ones can fight against them. When someone feels blood, and when they think that it can, it will continue to do so. These are the dangers we are facing. In Ukraine, we see that the situation is difficult, and that the West will have a hard time defeating the Russians," said Vučić.

The president pointed out that many countries are looking for a different order in the world.

"I didn't guess that when I spoke at the UN. Arrange the facts, set the premises correctly and draw a conclusion. The whole world is going in a bad direction, so we need to take care of our country, not attack it at every step," he said. Vučić adds that we managed to preserve our position in the Kosovo-Metohija issue, and that it is becoming increasingly difficult.

"Also, we are the only country that has not imposed sanctions on Russia. Now everyone in Serbia has turned the tables, and they are asking for sanctions to be imposed, all those who criticized me. I was only leading a responsible and serious policy. It has not yet brought the emperor to his knees. And Serbia gained a great reputation in the world with that," said Vučić. He said that a man in Vojvodina told him yesterday that everyone is sitting at home watching, eating popcorn, and thinking about how to advise the president.

"And then when we eat popcorn, we are happy to know that you are there, and that you will get us out. That is important, that there is trust among people. I was sitting across from Macron, Scholz, Borrell, Lajcak. And Macron hands me the papers and he tells me to sign, and I sit alone, and I count in my head, and in the end, I say that I have the Constitution of Serbia, which I love and respect, and that I cannot sign the document," says Vučić.

About elections

The president added that all the demands of the opposition regarding the election have been met.

"We respect them, they want to return to power, the representatives of the former regime. They asked for elections, and they got them. I think these elections are important. It is important for us and the people that whoever wins has a clean mandate until 2027. All elections are after that, presidential, parliamentary, and all. There must be one clear mandate for the period that must bring us to the point of no return to the past. We have the EXPO, the whole country must unite around that", he said.

Vučić points out that these are critical and decisive elections for the future of Serbia.

"Yesterday, they showed me the data, that 86 percent of the attacks from the opposition were aimed at me. It's normal and nothing terrible. You have to get used to it. There is a reason why I'm proud, why it's like that. I was able to choose a more comfortable position, it's natural for a person to do so. You will also see politicians who don't want to hold grudges against anyone, or make deals as soon as they get out of the studio. You have lists of politicians who never attack, because they know they can work with them. And I I'm proud that they can't do it that easily with me," he says.

I chose the path of struggle and patience, said the president, commenting on a new film by the opposition media about him.

"I like to play chess. And they chose to release the film on the first day of the campaign, and you can't answer that. They say I'm a fake chess player. Here, let everyone gather from the opposition, 15 of them, to play chess against me. Here, let they have the right to return the move, I will beat all 15 of them. And as for the fact that I am an unsuccessful hooligan, thank them for that, imagine that I am a successful hooligan," says Vučić.

Vučić also points out that he is proud of the fact that he had a different attitude than the majority of his generation.

"When they went to protests, I studied. Since they couldn't harm me, they gossiped. And in the end I was right, because most of what they advocated was wrong. And a good part of those people who were against me today are in my team, they are doing great," he says.

Vučić said that it is enough to compare the seriousness of Miloš Vučević and Siniša Mali, with Marinika Tepić and Radomir Lazović.

"Marinika has changed seven or eight political parties. Radomir is 45 years old, he is still a student. He can't finish university, his only wish is to get a student card, to get discounts for trains and planes, and then to get a pensioner card immediately. What are these people experts in? Vojislav Mihajlović to be mayor? So, what did Belgrade look like in the nineties and early 2000s," asked the president.

He adds that they will try not to respond to attacks in the same way during the campaign.

"But imagine what would happen if they played a film like this on Pink, but about Aleksić's thieves. Someone allowed themselves everything, and others got nothing. I don't think our answer should be like that. I don't think we should hide, but I don't want a dirty and brutal campaign. Let's see how we get to these results, from 1,400 euros in 2027," he said.

Vučić also pointed out that it does not matter whether you vote for the left or the right, and that people must know that.

"It is fair that they said that openly, that they will unite after the election to overthrow me. That is why they lost part of the votes. That the right will unite with those who recognize the genocide in Srebrenica. What is the difference between Djilas and Jovanović? There is no difference," said Vučić.

After the film was shown in which representatives of the opposition spoke about him, mostly using insults, Vučić said the following: "I find that sweet and wide-eyed smile the most interesting. And what do they say, a fool and a madman who works a lot. Let them be uneducated. It's like in chess... It's nice to hear a fool and a madman, but it's nice that they admit that someone works. And all this shows that they have no argument other than hatred," said Vučić.

He recalls that they lied about Jovanjica for three years, and asked what would happen if such films were broadcast about representatives of the opposition.

"Let them continue, I will continue to work. And my answer to everything will be that we preserved peace and stability. And that we preserved those people when they protested illegally, and when they occupied the highways, invaded RTS and the Assembly. We did everything with absolutely democratic methods. We showed how a tolerant government treats the minority in the country. And when you talk about autocracy, dictatorship and tyranny, and you say all that freely, that says everything," Vučić pointed out.

About Hilandar

He said that Serbia helped the Hilandar Monastery a lot, after Dejan Tomašević announced the information that Vučić and his family were the biggest founders since King Milutin.

"There is an interesting piece of information. The Hilandar Monastery, as our largest shrine, is a holy place in the true sense of the word. The monks are also wonderful people, I have met them all. They have different political views, but even today it is not easy to speak out against King Alexander Obrenovich in Hilandar. Vulin saw that too, he is a great sympathizer of Apis, unlike me, who despises the Black Hand. They are very sensitive there when someone publicly praises Apis, since Alexander Obrenovic was saved by Hilandar. He brought treasure, and paid ransom to the Bulgarian Zograf monastery, that's why today Hilandar is in Serbian hands. He is always the first for them, and it is possible that we are the second in modern times," said Vučić.

In the end, he said that he hopes that the list "Serbia must not stop" will win.

"Because Serbia literally cannot stop," concluded Vučić.