Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told the UN General Assembly that the line between peace and conflict is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish. According to him, the consequences of the rivalry between global and regional powers are already affecting countries that are not directly involved in conflicts, BTA reports.
Vucic defined the changing international system as a serious challenge for small and medium-sized countries like Serbia. According to him, the world is being shaped around two main centers of power, alongside which an increasing number of regional states with significant political, economic, military and technological capabilities operate.
The Serbian president said that the main problem is not the lack of international rules, but their inconsistent application. He accused countries that he said had violated the principles of international law of now insisting on their observance in relation to the war in Ukraine.
Vučić raised the issue of Kosovo again, pointing out that Serbia does not recognise the independence declared by its former province in 2008. Belgrade and Pristina have been engaged in EU-mediated dialogue since 2011.
Regarding European integration, Vučić stressed that EU membership remains a strategic priority for Serbia. He thanked the European institutions for their support for the country, but also warned of "enlargement fatigue" among both member states and candidates.
Serbia was granted candidate status in 2012, but its negotiations with the EU have stalled. Among the problems cited by the European side are insufficient progress in the area of the rule of law and the discrepancy between Serbian foreign policy and that of the EU.
Belgrade did not join the EU sanctions against Russia after the start of the war in Ukraine. According to Radio „Free Europe“ this, along with the problems with the rule of law, is among the factors slowing down the accession process.