Serbia’s Vucic: Americans say EU will demand that we recognise Kosovo

Tanjug/Predsedništvo Srbije

Speaking to the Vienna Standard daily, Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia’s President, excluded on Tuesday any possibility of Belgrade's recognition of Kosovo’s independence within the existing borders, adding the Berlin and Belgrade saw the border with ex-province differently, local news agencies reported.

He told the daily that the Americans told him the European Union changed its opinion and would demand from Belgrade to recognise Kosovo as an independent state.

“Until now, the EU hasn’t put any precondition to Serbia. However, the Americans told us that it might have changed. But we want to hear that from our European partners. I don’t exclude that option, but the EU hasn’t asked that so far,” Vucic said.

Asked if Serbia would ever recognise Kosovo as an independent state, Vucic said “it is a difficult issue for the Serbs” and added that “the EU was in favour of the two-Germany model without official recognition by Belgrade.”

That would have been easier for Serbia, Vucic said.

„What would we get (in exchange for the recognition)? Possible EU membership in ten years? And who would guarantee that? Would that be the same guarantee as North Macedonia got for the opening of the accession negotiations,“ Vucic asked.

At the same time, in an interview with the Russian state Sputnik media outlet, Vucic said the German Chancellor Angela Merkel told him Berlin could not accept divisions, demarcation and new borders, while he responded that the boundaries had not yet been determined and that it should be done.

“I told her (Merkel) the borders have not been established. There is one border for us, the other for Berlin. For Russia, it’s one, for the US the other. For China one, for France the other. For Spain, it’s one, for Britain the other… And I say – let’s determine that,” Vucic said.

He reiterated he was in favour of the „talks with the Albanians to reach a compromise. It‘s difficult, obviously.“

„The essence is that those who can determine their future should reach a deal. A deal that wouldn’t make anyone completely happy. But, there is no such a deal, and there won’ t be one,” Vucic said.

„Serbs’ gentle ears would like always to hear what pleases them, though it’s far away from reality. But the problem is that the Albanians don’t want to hear anything close to a compromise. And finally, all the West is offering Serbia now is not a compromise,” he added.

Vucic said he would meet the Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, a Russian city on the Black Sea, on May 9 next year and would again witness the Victory Day parade in Moscow.