Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said upon his arrival in Moscow that he is not worried about the reaction of the European Union regarding his visit to Russia and his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He stressed that he is ready to bear any “punishments“ from Brussels, because it is his duty to defend the interests of the Serbian people, BTA reports.
“I am here to fight for my people and my country. I don't care what others say or think. I was elected by the Serbian people, not by Riga, Tallinn or Vilnius“, Vucic told Serbian national television RTS while on the Red Square Square.
According to him, his visit to Moscow was announced in advance to European leaders, and accusations of secrecy or deception are unfounded. The presidential plane flew via Bulgaria, Turkey and Azerbaijan, as Latvia and Lithuania refused to provide an air corridor.
Vučić attended the military parade on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe and noted the significance of this event:
“Tens of millions of people died so that we could live today. We have no right to rewrite history. Our people suffered from the Nazi occupier and his allies in the region. Serbia has the right to be proud of the fight against fascism,“ he stressed.
The president also commented on the protests of students in Serbia who are demanding early parliamentary elections. “They won't have to wait long, but the elections will be held when I call them. If I am an 'incompetent institution', let someone else convene them - unfortunately for them, that is not possible," he said.
During his visit to Moscow, Vučić will discuss a new gas agreement and other bilateral issues with the Russian authorities. He is also expected to meet with Russian Patriarch Kirill, Kazakh President Kassam-Jomart Tokayev, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Vladimir Putin.