Vucic: Serbia's position regarding the conflict in Ukraine has been the same since day one

Photo: Tanjug/Milos Milivojevic

Serbia has not joined any restrictive declarations against Russia, President Aleksandar Vucic reiterated today, adding that the declaration adopted in Tirana a few days ago, which Serbia supported, had nothing to do with sanctions, and that Serbia is not changing its position either on this issue, or in terms of supporting territorial integrity of Ukraine.

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When journalists said Serbia did not join any of the 23 declarations against Russia, "but did so in Tirana," Vucic replied that this is not the case, i.e., that the declaration from Tirana is regional, a document of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, and has nothing to do with sanctions.

"You join sanctions by the EU calling on you to join, while declarations can be of a legal-political character, strictly political in nature or contain specific restrictive measures," the president of Serbia explained.

There are 22 or 23 declarations with restrictive measures.

"And on all those 22, 23, and I am neither proud nor critical of that, I am just stating the facts, we did not vote in favor of any of them. We are the only country on the European path that did not vote for any restrictive measure against Russia," said Vucic.

He added that UN declarations that Serbia supported were of legal and political nature, and had nothing to do with sanctions.

That is why he stressed that nothing has changed in Serbia's position.

"Our position has been the same since first day, from the session of the Council for National Security -, to condemn the invasion of the territory of a sovereign country, such as Ukraine. Nothing has changed regarding sanctions either," Vucic pointed out.

Noticing that individuals are saying that someone will seek hide a change in that position, Vucic stated that no one will ever hide anything, because the essence of politics is to tell the truth to citizens, no matter how difficult and painful it may be.

"Nobody is planning to hide anything, that is not possible, nor do we want it. And pressure is great, much bigger than you think, to the degree that I haven't seen in 10 years, and I'm experienced... But what should we do now, disappear because of it, not say what we think...? Ok, as long as we can persevere in safeguarding our policy," said Vucic.

According to him, if the the opposite were to occur, then he would address the citizens, tell them the truth, but so far, he recalled, Serbia has firmly held its position for 89 days like it did on the first day.

(Telegraf.rs)