Vucic satisfied with Kosovo trip, and "doing important job"

Vucic satisfied with Kosovo trip, and "doing important job"

He also stressed that he had invited all his political opponents to Kosovska Mitrovica and talked with them.

Summing up his 13-hour conversations with Serbs in Banjska, Kosovska Mitrovica, Gracanica, and Laplje Selo, the president said that he wanted to tell them above all that they should stay on their land.

"I had an obligation to tell everyone what is the interest of the Serb people, and that is that must stay and live on their own land. The number of people who welcomed me in Laplje Selo never welcomed anyone since the introduction of the multi-party system. I understood it well that these people came to fight for their country and nation, their livelihoods, for survival," Vucic said in an interview with the daily Vecernje Novosti.

Asked to comment on the criticism of his political rivals, who labeled the gathering as "obviously staged," Vucic said that it was the worst for him to hear the visit described as a kind of political reality program, - "and it is well known that these reality programs in Serbia have patented by the thieves who are attacking me."

"I introduced an open and honest conversation with the people, I wanted to hear what their everyday problems are and whether we solve them, without ingratiating myself to anyone. Frankly, we could not solve 90 percent of their problems, but the 10 percent we could solve," said the president.

He stressed that in contact with the people of Kosovo,he pointed to three things.

"First, that there are people who live richly and receive large salaries from the state of Serbia, while others do not get anything from the state. Secondly, these people have made it clear to me, and I am convinced of it too, that with a little more effort and engagement we can help them and make life easier. Thirdly, it seems to me that I spoke in a rational and realistic way about the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, even if many don't like to hear it," Vucic added.

This, he says, did not appeal to Albanians, and even to some in Serbia, who, he says, "would like Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija to never be heard."

"I understand Albanians who are very much bothered that it has been heard that little Milan from Suvo Grlo lost his father and that his brother was shot at, or that a mother with six children lost her husband and had her son shot at. Because until now the story was that only Serbs are criminals," the president said.

He believes that the most important thing is that for the first time, people saw the real faces of Serbs who lost their loved ones and who only want to survive.

"They do not seek revenge. They seek to be Serbs and live in their own homes. There were indeed many wonderful people with bitter destinies," Vucic said.

Asked how he personally experienced the fact that some opposition leaders in Belgrade and in Kosovo and Metohija practically accused him and his party, the SNS, of being behind the murder of Oliver Ivanovic, Vucic said that "when someone has the need to accuse the head of state for such a thing, having never been in Kosovo, nor ever meeting Ivanovic, it is best to keep silent and not react to the attacks of those who think they are people, but don't resemble people."

"In the end, when your conscience is clear, when you work in the interest of your people, then you have to take all that and move on," Vucic said.

He added that he was observing "how they went berserk because of my conversation with our people in Kosovo, because of everything they neither dared, nor wanted, nor were ever interested in (doing)."

"Who is attacking me? Rada Trajkovic, who represents 0.0001 percent of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. Such folk like a lot some foreign offices, but it's no use when people don't like them. Or Dragan Djilas - the man who organizes Teleton shows in order to appeared on each of them and act like the biggest humanitarian, while he is getting richer and the people are getting poorer," Vucic said.

The president also stressed that one of the strongest impressions from his trip was "Milan from the Suvo Grlo."

"This guy in a sajkaca (traditional Serb hat), who has a boyish smile at 25, and the firmness of an old man who has gone through everything in life, is truly impressive. He remembers the murder of his father, barely makes the ends meet, but isn't thinking about leaving his land. Is it my fault that Serbia heard about his fate for the first time? Should they accuse me of the fact that Gracanica and Banjska are more beautiful than ever? Or because we are no longer ashamed before Milutin? All this could have been done by some people before me, but they didn't do it," said Vucic.