Stefanovic: Vucic to meet with Djukanovic soon to discuss easing tensions

Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said this morning that he expects President Aleksandar Vucic to speak with Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic soon in order to protect the Serb people in that country and calm tensions.

Stefanovic told RTS - after Vucic held an emergency meeting with security officials last night over the deteriorating situation in the region - that work must be done to restore peace and reduce tensions because that was the way to talk with a cool head.

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"These talks are necessary and we expect that Vucic will speak with Djukanovic with that goal, in order to protect the interests of the Serb people in Montenegro. I expect that conversation very soon," said Stefanovic.

He said Serbia was not happy about yesterday's clashes, when a young man was beaten up in Podgorica, adding that they want to speak with authorities in Montenegro to determine what happened and to ease tensions.

Photo: Serbian government

"We will wait for official information, but because of the concern that that the attack may have been ethnically motivated, of course we will have a political reaction. But this political reaction is also moderate and seeks to calm tensions and change that situation," said Stefanovic.

Asked if the security agency BIA asked for information from Montenegrin agencies, Stefanovic said that he would not comment on concrete measures, but added the state would do its job in accordance with Aleksandar Vucic's policy, that is, one of peace and stability.

Asked if Serbs in Montenegro are safe, Stefanovic said he didn't want to go into qualifications without looking at the whole picture.

"We cannot say that we are satisfied with how the situation is developing if there is even one smashed head, one incident, violence, those situations where there is too much passion against someone who is Serb, who gives a three fingers salute or carries a tricolor flag. Work must be done in order to make progress and calm down passions," said Stefanovic.

He recalled that President Vucic spoke in several forums and to his own detriment in terms of political points, but poited out that one can't always think about what most people would like, but what is necessary to do work in the general interest.

"Sometimes people don't understand why you must lower tensions," the minister said.

He said that at the meeting last night, President Vucic said he was also concerned about an incident involving urination on the Serbian tricolor and the lack of reaction by Montenegrin authorities.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)