"Russians don't ask for ingratiation; could gain privileges"

"Russians don't ask for ingratiation; could gain privileges"

Aked whether the staff at the Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center (RSHC)in the southern town of Nis would be given the same privileges as NATO troops under the recently ratified agreement, Vulin said they "never asked for any privileges, or made their assistance contingent on that" - but that the issue would be discussed during the Russian prime minister's visit.

“The state of Serbia is thankful and willing to do everything to make people at the Serbian-Russian Humanitarian Center feel good and be protected in every possible way,” Vulin told reporters after touring the RSHC.

Asked whether his visit to the RSHC represented an act of "ingratiation toward Russia after the signing of the (logistics) agreement with NATO," Vulin apologized to all present Russian representatives because of the question, and said Serbia was not "currying favor with anyone."

"Our Russian friends do not ask for ingratiation from us. They came here to seek partners and found partners and friends. They found a country that is taking care of its interests, in whose interest it is not to introduce sanctions against the Russian Federation, and in whose interest it is to cooperate with both Europe and the Russian Federation." Vulin told reporters.

He also reiterated that Serbia would not join any "military agreement" as it was a militarily neutral country that will "always take care to cooperate with all the countries in its surroundings, from the EU to military alliances such as NATO."

President Tomislav Nikolic on Friday signed into law an agreement giving NATO members freedom of movement and diplomatic immunity in Serbia. Tanjug reported that this caused "much protestation among right-wing parties," and that a protest rally against NATO was held in Belgrade on Saturday, attended by several thousand people.