February 2024.
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PRESIDENT VUČIĆ AT THE MUNICH SECURITY CONFERENCE: With Borrell today about Kosovo and Metohija
https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/599819/Sa-Boreljom-danas-o-Kosovu-i-Metohiji
The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, participated in the 60th Munich Security Forum, the world’s leading forum on international security policy, which around 500 participants attended. On that occasion, the president spoke with all relevant actors about the security of the Republic of Serbia, Kosovo, and the December 17, 2023 elections.
About the negotiations with the EBRD
The President also met with representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), requesting additional funds to construct local and regional roads. Given that the EBRD provides financial assistance to Serbia on numerous projects, the President said, “They know that when they cooperate with Serbia, there are no problems because we return the money and raise wages and standards.” Salaries have indeed increased if we consider the average salary in Serbia; however, the median wage, which better reflects the socio-economic situation in the country, is still not satisfactory. Considering inflation and the enormous price increase, Serbia has not even come close to the European countries’ standards. As reported by Politika, Vučić requested 200 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to start the modernization of Serbia, infrastructure projects, and investments in the ICT sector and artificial intelligence.
About the abolition of the dinar in Kosovo
When it comes to the newly created situation in Kosovo, that is, the abolition of the dinar by the Pristina authorities, Vučić noted that no one is satisfied with Pristina’s move and that he heard that Britain sent a harsh letter to the Pristina authorities. The abolition of the dinar in Kosovo is currently a pressing security problem, so it was expected that the President of the Republic of Serbia would lead negotiations on this issue at the leading security conference or at least inform the citizens about the outcome of those negotiations. Instead, Vučić told the citizens: “I’m not one of those who would tell you big news until we have something and we can show our people that we managed to do something.” This statement implies that the negotiations did not even happen or passed without success.
The President wondered why someone needed such a move and why someone wanted to provoke. “I am not sure they have chosen the right path, but it is certainly very difficult for us. First, it is difficult for our people in Kosovo and Metohija,” Telegraf reports. It is clear to everyone that the citizens of Serbia in the north of Kosovo are in a tough situation, but the solution to this problem needs to be clarified, given that the President did not determine it at the Munich conference.
About cooperation with Germany
Immediately before the meeting with German politicians, Vučić said that he expects to have a tougher attitude towards Belgrade and that he does not expect that they will understand us or change their attitude. We should not forget that “since 2000, the Federal Republic of Germany has allocated 2 billion euros to Serbia through direct aid as well as through EU funds, which represents the largest single amount of development aid that any country has provided to Serbia”, as stated on the Germancooperation.rs. In addition, it should be remembered that Germany supported the reconciliation and solution of the Kosovo issue through various projects and direct mediation in negotiations.
Electoral irregularities in Serbia
At the beginning of the month, the European Parliament passed a resolution demanding an international investigation into alleged irregularities in the elections in Serbia and the suspension of European funds if it is proven that the authorities were directly involved in voter fraud. The authorities in Serbia, including the prime minister, expressed resistance and indignation regarding the resolution mentioned above. Vučić touched on this issue in talks with journalists in Munich, where he criticized the opposition. “They want to abolish the law and say it is their morality,” the President said. If the President is right when he says these elections took place without any irregularities and in the best order, there is no reason to worry about the international investigation.
About the statement of the President of Croatia
In the meantime, the President had a discussion with the Croatian President, Zoran Milanović, who said that Serbia is leading a “cabbage” policy in the context of a simultaneous pro-Russian and pro-European policy. Vučić from Munich did not fail to reply to Milanović: “The “cabbage” policy is an excellent policy. We love cabbage; we love to eat it; we have excellent cabbage in Futog; well, he has to wait a little longer; when the season of Futog cabbage comes, I will send him a head of cabbage so that he can see that it is a real and excellent policy. God grant that they lead like this too”, as reported by N1. Since the citizens were not informed about the content and outcome of the negotiations from Munich, we see that they still had the opportunity to hear cheap “political” statements.
After returning from Munich, the President said that he was satisfied with how we went and that he expects negotiations with Brussels regarding Kosovo soon. President “Vučić says that there is still no solution for abolishing the dinar in Kosovo and Metohija and that he will inform the public when there is,” as Kurir reports.
Author: Nataša Stanojević
