I want them to experience this as a wake-up call, and not as a debacle: Vucic's message to Pristina after the triumph of Serbia in Interpol (PHOTO) (VIDEO)
- I repeat this is a small victory for us, great powers wanted to destroy us, and we managed to preserve our country and our dignity - stressed the president of Serbia
The president of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic addressed the public on the occasion of the great victory of Serbia which prevented the reception of so-called state of Kosovo at the General Assembly of the Interpol in Dubai.
A great victory for Serbia! "Kosovo" was not accepted into Interpol
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic also spoke at the conference.
- We were moderate optimists, we were hoping for this result. This is a very good result for Serbia - Vucic said and added that he is satisfied with the results.
He stressed that he is proud of the struggle of Serbia, "a small country without much money and power in the world that has managed to fight the most powerful powers of the world and show how valuable it is to preserve its integrity and independence."
- This means that Serbia has secured a better position in the world, but we should not be euphoric because of that - the president added.
Vucic commented on the voting.
- If you look at the first round of voting, they did not even get the majority of votes. Most countries did not vote, and they weren't even close to two-thirds. I want to thank all the countries that have been abstained, and in particular, I want to thank those who were under grave pressure. We have an obligation to return the favor - he stressed, adding that it is not easy to humiliate, defeat and stomp over Serbia.
Vucic pointed out that 76 countries in the first round voted for Kosovo, and that we will continue to work with all these countries.
- We will not develop hostility, we will build up friendship to show how much we care about the compromise solution with the Albanians, to show that Serbia is not a country that can be easily destroyed, defeated and stomped over. I believe that we will have even better relations with those countries. We will never forget the friendship and support of the countries that helped us - he said.
He said that this was a success, but Serbia mustn't base its future on defiance and spite, but on a rational approach.
- Serbia must want a compromise and understand the relations in the world, to think about its economic progress and we shouldn't use this opportunity to humiliate or to denigrate the Pristina side, nor all those who are trying to help Pristina side - said Vucic.
Only one of the members who said that they will be abstained voted for Kosovo, he revealed.
- We hoped that Paraguay would abstain, and we held talks with the Paraguayan leadership, but they voted against us. Nevertheless, we will continue to talk to them, "Vucic added, thanking the Serbian delegation in Dubai, in particular, the ministers Stefanovic and Dacic, and the team from Dubai who mentioned Vulin who fought on this issue, as well as Ana Brnabic.
He said that many were surprised by the amount of support Serbia has received, stating that 78 countries didn't vote for Kosovo in the first round, and that 76 did.
- You see how different it is today compared to what we had a year ago. Congratulations to our people, to Serbs no matter where they live in the region, I repeat this is a small victory for us, great powers wanted to destroy us, and we managed to preserve our country and our dignity - stressed the president of Serbia.
He stated that he expects Serbia to continue to work.
Then Dacic addressed the journalists.
- This is a great victory for Serbia and Serbian people. Nothing can be done by force and nothing can be done without Serbia. I told them nicely, "don't apply, you will embarrass yourselves". They can now try to explain to their people on Kosovo and Metohija what happened and where are those 116 countries that recognize the so-called independence - Dacic said and added that they needed 36 votes to win.
- They can now explain to their people that we lied about the withdrawal of recognition. Our people on Kosovo will also see who lied and who spoke the truth - he explained.
Dacic looked at the statements of the Austrian politicians Strache and Kurz who announced that they won't support Kosovo's admission to Interpol.
- I would like to use this opportunity to greet Strache, you are the one who lied and who crossed Serbs. Kurz is not better, he is even worse. They wanted to use Kurz to enter Interpol - the Foreign Minister commented.
As he said, he called the president of Serbia and said that the number is 56, and so it was, 56 countries voted against and added that Serbia is a serious country and we are working with countries that will not be pressurized.
- I can't be happy because I know against whom we have been fighting - the most powerful countries in the world - Dacic said who thanked all of the countries that voted against the admission.
According to him, they didn't vote because of Serbia and because that they know that they are next in line, with the mark that voting in Interpol is a victory of international rights.
Interpol is a police organization, he said and asked why were they fighting to enter in the first place when they are already there - they are all on wanted warrants.
The president of Serbia took the microphone again.
- I want them to experience this as a wake-up call, and not as a debacle. We have to develop our economy, to please Pristina to abolish taxes, to please EU to pressure Pristina to behave and to respect CEFTA and all norms - Vucic said.
Vucic said that he understands the anger of the Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, considering that the pressure was huge, that there were orders from the highest places in Europe that Serbia must be defeated, but we weren't, because we fought with heart.
- Ivica was sharp towards Sebastian the last time he was here - Vucic said and stressed that they are friends of our country, but... Some things can't be settled by unilateral pressures, we will try to solve them by talking, the president said.
Vucic said that it would be good if the politicians on Kosovo sent a message to their people not to hate Serbia and Serbs, but that we have to work together.
To recall, 51 member states voted against, and 68 states were for admission of Kosovo into Interpol.