PM: EU is Serbia's top strategic goal

PM: EU is Serbia's top strategic goal

He pointed out that he was aware that he was the prime minister of a small country with a relatively small number of people and that it was therefore important for Serbia not to think that it mattered more than it did.

According to Vucic, it is up to Serbia to protect regional stability, and that is where its role matters, to make sure there are no problems in the Western Balkans. As for the global issues, Serbia's job is to avoid being an obstacle and to be of some use and assistance, he noted, adding that to say that he dreamed of Serbia solving some of those global crises would be naive and irresponsible.

Serbia's top strategic goal is EU integration, he remarked, adding that the country also wanted to foster friendly relations with Russia.

He said that the question now was what Serbia could do for itself, adding that he did not have any grand illusions about Serbia solving the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

Ahead of Vucic's visit, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said that Serbia's road towards the EU was "clear and irreversible," and that this was true above all thanks to Vucic.

Kurz added that the visit was an expression of "close ties" between the two countries, and said relations were "intensive and good not only in political, but also in economic and human fields."

He announced in a statement for Tanjug that Vucic will discuss Serbia's EU integration, deepening of bilateral ties, cooperation related to Serbia's OSCE presidency and Austrian presidency in 2017, and "joint fight against Jihadism."

According to Kurz, Austria is in favor of quickly opening EU accession negotiations with Serbia and "a European perspective for the whole region."

While in Vienna, Vucic will first meet with Austrian President Heinz Fischer, and then with Kurz.

He and Kurz will attend a reception "for the Serbian diaspora," Tanjug reported.