Serbian Internal Affairs Minister Aleksandar Vulin said that Russian Humanitarian Center in the southern city of Nis justified its existence.

According to Vulin, the center justified its existence through its “noble activities” even though “the unique center in the Balkans was under attacked many times, even though many people wanted to misues the humanitarian center for political battle against Serbia and Russia”.

A ministry press release on the 10th anniversary of the founding of the center said that Vulin told Russian Civil Protection Minister Alexander Chuprian in a video conference that the center “showed its full meaning during the hardest times for Serbia and the Serbian people during the catastrophic floods of 2014 and during the coronavoris pandemic”. The center has been named by officials in other Western Balkan and European Union countries as a Russian spy center which Moscow allegedly uses to increase its influence in the region.

“Serbia deeply appreciates all aid and support” provided by the Russian ministry in emergency situations, he is quoted as saying.

The press release quoted Chuprian as saying that his ministry will “continue developing and promoting the Serbia-Russia Humanitarian Center”. “The Russian Federation will, as it has to date, always be prepared to provide aid and support to Serbia in emergency situations,” it said.