Serb kids from Croatia to be greeted by "55k football fans"

Serb kids from Croatia to be greeted by "55k football fans"

In his conversation with the children, the president was "particularly happy" to learn that they can all use the (Serbian) Cyrillic alphabet, Tanjug is reporting.

Vucic also wanted to know more about the children's "impressions of Belgrade, which landmarks they visited, what they liked the most, and how they saw the Serbian capital."

He told them that the next time they visit - the Museum of Modern Art, and the National Museum would be open to visitors, the agency said.

And when the president suggested that the children - who were set to return home this evening - stay another day, so they could watch the Crvena Zvezda (Red Star) vs. Krasnodar football game - they were "thrilled to accept."

The president also promised that the game's official announcer would say they were present at the stadium - and that "55,000 people" would greet them.

Vucic then asked one of the children - 7-year-old Tino Popovic - which football club he supported.

The boy immediately replied that it was FC Rijeka - a club from Croatia's Istria region.

The president then jokingly suggested that he might consider another, "slightly bigger" club - such as (Serbia's) Red Star, or Partizan.

Tino Popovic was also promised "a special gift" for learning to write the Cyrillic.

Vucic also told the children - most of whom come from Rijeka, Kostajnica, Dalmatia, and Kasic - that he "recently visited their regions, that he was in Smokovic, Biljane Donje, Dobropoljac, Kistanje and Djevarsko" - and that he "toured almost all Serb areas (in Croatia) at the time."

The president's general secretary, Nikola Selakovic, gave the children a tour of the Serbian Presidency building in Belgrade. Earlier, they visited other landmarks of the capital: the Nikola Tesla Museum, the Ivo Andric Museum, the White (Beli Dvor) Palace, the Old (Stari Dvor) Palace, the Kalemegdan Fortress and the St. Sava Temple.

During their tour of the Presidency - located at Andrica Venac - the children were able to look at and take pictures of the president's office and cabinet, and the view of the Upper Terrace of the Belgrade Fortress, the Monument to Russian Tsar Nicholas II, and the National Library.