“We are facing, in every sense, a terribly difficult spring, summer, and autumn. The president of the condo board does not have it easy, let alone the president of the state. You were not elected to attend balls, but to solve difficult problems“, said the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic on Sunday morning. Speaking in a lengthy interview with TV Prva, he outlined coronavirus, Kosovo, and regional issues as the biggest challenges Serbia faces. Yet, unlike the time when Serbia was led by the current opposition, the state is recording great successes under his management – from vaccine procurement, hospital investments, and the protection of Kosovo Serbs.
“To obtain vaccines is much more difficult than it is to obtain nuclear weapons”, said Vucic. At the same time he confirmed that the British coronavirus strain has been recorded in Serbia.
Serbia was prepared for this because he read “Western intelligence reports 6 months ago” which, according to him, “no one reads”.
One such report, page 70 and some.. revealed that the Chinese vaccine is the best, he added, noting that he managed to procure these costly 140 euros (per single shot) vaccines because the Chinese president Xi Jinping “dramatically” lowered the price, following Vucic’s letter and kind request to supply Serbia with Chinese vaccines.
Vucic, however, refused to reveal how much he paid for these vaccines but he confirmed he had chosen Chinese vaccines for himself. He also estimated that “the black market price of the vaccines will be as high as 500 euros”.
To stabilize Srpska Lista and preserve its strength, we will be pressured to recognize Kosovo
Speaking about the Kosovo issue, he reiterated that Serbia faces great pressure from the West to recognize Kosovo.
„The bad news is that the forces that are in favor of a Greater Albania will undoubtedly insist on unification with Albania, but there is no danger of that, I laugh at that,“ he said, adding however that he is worried over foreigners insisting on Kosovo’s recognition.
That is why, according to the president, Serbia’s primary task will be to „try to stabilize Srpska Lista and preserve its strength.“
Addressing Ramush Haradinaj’s recent statement that he would ask for the unification of Kosovo with Albania in a referendum in 2025 if Kosovo does not achieve progress on the path to the European Union by the time, Vucic explained that this is the first time Haradinaj has spoken about Greater Albania in this way. He then described the former Kosovo PM as „a dangerous man“, adding that after the elections, Kurti will need an Albanian party for the government and that Haradinaj is pushing to become the president of Kosovo.
The opposition betrayed Kosovo, I am fighting for it
During the interview, the president also reiterated several times that the current opposition in Serbia recognized Kosovo. He said that he is fighting for both Kosovo and the Serbian people in it and that he was the only one who prevented Kosovo from becoming part of the UN, before he was joined in such efforts by Aleksandar Vulin and Marko Djuric, along with „two people from Kosovo“.
„I really care about Kosovo and I am fighting for Kosovo,“ he said, adding that the Serbian opposition keeps claiming that he will „betray something.“
„Folks, do you see what they are saying – that I betrayed Kosovo because I am a coward,“ Vucic stressed. He mentioned parts of Wikileaks and Ljiljana Smajlovic’s statements on how Borislav Stefanovic allegedly asked US diplomats to wait with their recognition of Kosovo, after the unilateral declaration of independence, until the elections in Serbia were over so that Boris Tadic would not lose to Tomislav Nikolic.
„And what should I betray?! Shame on you! You who let them beat and trample over our people, and vandalize our crosses on the church of St. Andrej in Podujevo, to burn our churches and monasteries and our holy sites, and the only thing you did – you issued a statement and went after other people’s holy sites, shame on you! I’m talking about the March 2004 pogrom. And what did you do in 2008, when Kosovo declared independence, apart from telling the Americans – please do it two days after the elections so that Boris Tadic does not lose to Nikolic. What did you do in 2009, when you gave up on the UN regulating our relations, instead of the EU?! And what did you do in 2010, with the International Court of Justice and the verdict?! They are erecting monuments to you – Jeremic, Djilas, monuments are being erected to them in Kosovo, not by Serbs, but Albanians, and then we manage to bring that topic back! Let’s fight. They also say. Vucic promised, he is a coward! I will translate this for the people – I’m a coward because I protect Kosovo.“
“I am a coward because I am protecting Kosovo and the Serbian people in Kosovo, I am a coward, but I thank you very much for begging the Americans to recognize Kosovo after the elections (Serb ballot in 2008)”, read on of his claim that he repeated several times during the interview.
The Serbian President then boasted that as many as 80% of Kosovo Serbs vote for him.
“Do you think these people (cf. Kosovo Serb voters) are stupid?! And that recurring story of how stupid our people are! No, they are smart people, they are wonderful people who live in terrible conditions!”
He concluded that Kosovo Serbs know quite well who understands their suffering and who is fighting for their interests.
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