PM: Serbia will not recall ambassador from Croatia

PM: Serbia will not recall ambassador from Croatia

The prime minister also said he will phone Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic after his visit to Slovakia, in order to discuss Wednesday's incident caused by leader of the Serb Radical Party Vojislav Seselj, who set fire to a Croatian flag in front of the Palace of Justice.

Croatia handed a protest note to the Serbian embassy in the capital Zagreb and said it is recalling its own ambassador from Serbia for consultations.

Vucic said Serbia did not recall its ambassador from Zagreb even when more serious incidents took place, for example when the entire stadium in Zagreb shouted a WW2-era fascist salute, "and other things," and explained that "this did not happen because we are weak but because we think we should have our representative in Zagreb."

According to him, "when it comes to our respect for Croatia, it will have it, no doubt."

"For our part, we will stop every kind of rhetoric that continues to stir up 'bad passions', but I will ask Prime Minister Milanovic to make the Croatian government show some more respect to Serbia,“ Vucic said.

"Images of flag burning are bad images sent from Belgrade and that we will say this has nothing to do with the state, and it doesn't, that we will say this is done by representatives of an extra-parliamentary party, will not contribute much to our better or different image," said he.

According to Vucic, Serbian politicians could spend "ten years with no pause answering the statements made by Croatian politicians" - but stressed that "he and Serbia" do not intent to continue with bad rhetoric and bad political relations.

"Our state organs have taken the necessary measures, while those who were burning flags did nothing against Croatia or against themselves - they only did something against Serbia."

He added that "it is up to us to try to bring peace and reason, and this is important because of Serbs who live in Croatia and our future relations."

"I do not wish to destroy everything we've done so far with political scandals and political instability."

Asked "how to stop flag burning," the prime minister "stressed that relevant authorities are taking certain actions," and that criminal complaints have been filed.

"I am appealing for reason and civilized and appropriate behavior of all political actors. I suppose some don't want to hear it, but I think it's enough that most citizens of Serbia do," he added.

Vucic "stressed that it is important for Serbia to attract as many investors as possible, and will not do that by burning flags."