EU's Tusk visits Belgrade, migrant crisis tops agenda

EU's Tusk visits Belgrade, migrant crisis tops agenda

He told a news conference in Belgrade that he appreciated what Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic had done for Serbia's advancement along the EU path.

“I am convinced that the prime minister will continue to do everything he can to bring Serbia closer to the EU, a relationship of tremendous value to us,” Tusk stressed.

“The future of the Western Balkans lies inside the EU, and there is no better, alternative future for the region, and for us all,” the president of the European Council underlined.

Tusk also said that Serbia "could rely on the EU's continued political and financial support in coping with the migrant crisis."

He told the news conference that the reason for his coming to Belgrade was "primarily the unprecedented refugee crisis," and that he had brought the message that Serbia had a consistent friend in Brussels.

“You can rely on the EU's continued political and financial support. I will call on EU leaders to step up our support to the Western Balkan countries that are on the frontline in this crisis. If we are serious about saving Schengen, we have to be serious about our support to frontline countries such as Serbia. This is our common endeavor,” the president of the European Council said.

Addressing the same news conference, Aleksandar Vucic said Serbia was "ready to take on even greater responsibility than other countries of the Western Balkans, but that if Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary shut their borders to economic migrants, Serbia would not receive them either."

“That would mean that we would have to shoulder the entire burden,” the Serbian prime minister said.

Serbia is ready to assist its neighbors, but it is also waiting for a comprehensive European solution for the refugee crisis, he added.

The prime minister made it clear to citizens that Serbia would know how to protect its national and state interests.