"EU told us what they want, and we told them what we think"

"EU told us what they want, and we told them what we think"

When asked by reporters to comment on repeated messages from the EU that Serbia should align its foreign policy with the EU as regards Russia, Vucic responded that he had had a good, very long and fair conversation Wednesday evening with European Parliament rapporteur David McAllister, who outlined "the EU's intentions, wishes and demands."

"And I told him what Serbia thinks," Vucic said, noting that Serbia was on the European path but that it would maintain the good relations with Russia.

McAllister said earlier on Thursday he was confident Serbia would align its foreign and security policy with Brussels when that became necessary.

According to him Serbia, as a nation-candidate for membership in the EU, "has to progressively harmonize its foreign and security policy with the EU and apply restrictive measures where necessary."

Speaking at the "Global Strategy of EU Foreign and Security Policy and the Western Balkans" conference in Belgrade, McAllister recalled the European Parliament's resolution in which it called on Serbia to progressively harmonize its foreign policy with that of the EU, including its relationship with Russia, as well as that the EP had regretfully noted joint military exercises between Serbia and Russia.

"The European Parliament has tried to signalize to Serbia that continuing its dual approach to Russia cannot be tolerated in the long-term, as Russia's aggressiveness cannot be tolerated," McAllister said, adding that the EU was accounting for friendly and strong ties between Serbia and Russia.

He also said that Serbia had conducted ten times more joint military exercises with its western allies than Russia, but that he did not know whether everyone in Brussels was aware of that.

McAllister said that Serbia's energy reliance on Russia ought to be reduced and with that goal in mind it needed to devote itself more to the Energy Community project.

"Jean-Claude Juncker and I have on several occasions stressed that all six members of the Western Balkans must be included in all strategic projects regarding energy," McAllister added.