Serbia and Macedonia aren't alike - parliament official

Serbia and Macedonia aren't alike - parliament official

That is what head of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Internal Affairs Marija Obradovic told the Belgrade-based daily Danas.

Asked whether there was a risk that recent terrorist attacks in Zvornik and Kumanovo could "spill over to Serbia," she said that the country's security forces are "fully prepared to react quickly, effectively and decisively in the event of threats to peace and security."

Members of the Interior Ministry's Gendarmerie and anti-terrorist units have been deployed in the area that can potentially be compromised due to the events in Macedonia, added Obradovic.

"Bearing in mind that the period of conflicts in this region lasted a long time, that there is diverse population in terms of nations and religions, with the constant pursuit of extreme individuals and groups for national unification, we are aware it is necessary to continuously invest efforts to ensure peace and stability," this MP from the ruling SNS party said.

She also believes that some analysts' appraisal about fierce differences between the government and the opposition in Serbia, like in Macedonia, represents "a somewhat awkward and dangerous comparison." She added that it was "fortunate" that the Serbian opposition "is not of authority" and cannot do what the opposition in Macedonia is doing.

"The truth is, some opposition politicians have called for unrest and invoked 'the Ukrainian scenario,' but it did not have the background that we could compare to the events in Macedonia. I'm sure no one in our country wants bloodshed, suffering and murder as a means of coming to power. Our society has, it is my personal estimate, made progress in the use of the type of assets in the political struggle to take responsibility for governing the country"- said Obradovic.

Asked by the newspaper whether Serbia "should seek salvation from terrorism in accelerating cooperation with NATO and the entry into the EU," the parliament official pointed out that "continued investment of efforts in actively monitoring the security situation is the only way to fight terrorism."

"Everyday activities to strengthen human, intelligence and technical capabilities is a recipe for a strong response to terrorism. If we are talking about cooperation with NATO, it is clear that we are aware of the importance of international, joint fight against terrorists as a global threat, but that is one thing, whereas the military neutrality to which Serbia remains dedicated is a completely different one," said Obradovic.

According to her, the signing of the IPAP with NATO testifies "to our sincere commitment to building stability, confidence and peace, especially in the region."

"The acceleration and progress that Serbia has in European integrations can only be an additional stimulus for the security structure, and at the same time strengthen the sector," Obradovic added.