BELGRADE -- During the first 100 days in office, the Serbian government led by PM Aleksanadar Vučić was trying to build good relations with countries in both East and West.
BELGRADE -- During the first 100 days in office, the Serbian government led by PM Aleksanadar Vučić was trying to build good relations with countries in both East and West.
Source: B92
Close the entire text of the article here
Such statements were heard also as Serbian officials visited Paris, Berlin, and Moscow, while Serbia was promoted as a good investment destination.
"These visits, combined with internal reforms, certainly make Serbia a point that foreign capital will be interested in. Of course it will be very important for Serbia to maintain internal stability of the exchange rate, external debt, balance of payments and so on, because capital takes all this into account," said former ambassador, now university professor Predrag Simić, and added:
"It seems to me that if Serbia persists in such a successful foreign policy and reforms, it can be expected it will become an attractive place for foreign investment."
Nevertheless, Serbia's attitude towards the Ukrainian crisis has brought about frequent calls from Brussels to harmonize Serbian foreign policy with the EU. Belgrade has so far successfully balanced its position, but the big test is expected next year, when the country takes over the presidency of the OSCE.
"This is a significant role to coordinate an important international organization. I think that every country wants it. It would have been much better it if (presidency) happened in a calmer situation, but for that reason I think it is a great challenge for us and our country," said former ambassador to Ukraine Dušan Lazić, who now heads the Forum for Ethnic Relations, and added:
"So far, our attitude towards East and West has held water, but I do not think it can last for a long time."
Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić warned recently that Serbia's position on Ukraine - to respect its territorial integrity, but not introduce sanctions against Russia - "meets with resistance from countries that want a faster entry of Serbia into the EU," while Prime Minister Vučić said that Serbia has "a fair, responsible and serious foreign policy."
Head of the negotiating team with the EU Tanja Miščević told B92 that Serbia has a clearly defined foreign policy and the strategic goal of joining the EU, but that the country has the right to present its arguments to Brussels expressing its views regarding "world events."
"Even when a country joins the EU, it has the right to have stronger and better ties with some of the world's countries. It is not unusual for some important countries, including the founders of the EU, to have very good relations with Russia. Problems arise with crises, because then some (countries) react in one, and others in another way," she said.
Asked whether Serbia would have to "adjust its policy towards Russia" - that is, impose sanctions - Miščević said:
"The great thing about the common (EU) security and foreign policy is that you can keep your reasoned position. It should not be an excuse not to harmonize at all, but when you have a good argument can have a stance. Messages that are being sent to us these days say that you must be very clear and precise on why you cannot do something. Why you cannot impose sanctions, why cannot harmonize a law with EU rules..."
The head of the negotiating team believes that Brussels will accept Serbia's arguments, while "the question remains whether they will completely like it."
"Certainly our position - that the most important thing is to establish peace - is no different than that of EU members. It is not just about Ukraine, but also about Gaza. There is no need for any particular alignment there, there we support the EU position," Miščević concluded.
Here Serbia is exhibiting potential leadership in the EU. The mob says that they need to sanction Russia, but what is Russian guilty of?
(Paul, 31 July 2014 22:39)
Quoting Vladimir Putin:
"There are both things in international law: the principle of territorial integrity and right to self-determination."
"We keep hearing from the United States and Western Europe that Kosovo is some special case. What makes it so special in the eyes of our colleagues? It turns out that it is the fact that the conflict in Kosovo resulted in so many human casualties. Is this a legal argument? The ruling of the International Court says nothing about this. This is not even double standards; this is amazing, primitive, blunt cynicism. One should not try so crudely to make everything suit their interests, calling the same thing white today and black tomorrow. According to this logic, we have to make sure every conflict leads to human losses.”
"4. “For some reason, things that Kosovo Albanians (and we have full respect for them) were permitted to do, Russians, Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars in Crimea are not allowed."
"
Any people has a right to self-determination, and now in Europe the process of diluting national sovereignty in the framework of a united Europe is more accepted.
Vladimir Putin"
As a k-albanian, I say, thank you russia for the kind words.
(Peace, 11 August 2014 07:39)
Here Serbia is exhibiting potential leadership in the EU. The mob says that they need to sanction Russia, but what is Russian guilty of?
(Paul, 31 July 2014 22:39)
Russia is guilty of violating the principles that Serbia has been screaming about for years... If I were to take at face value what Serbia and the most patriotic of Serbs have been saying for years, Serbia would be among the first countries to sanction Russia.
(icj1, 3 August 2014 15:40)
Hey Count how's about taking that "o" out of your title. That would be much more appropriate description of your standing within the aristocracy of political commentators!!
(Viscount Duke of Baron, 31 July 2014 23:29)
Here Serbia is exhibiting potential leadership in the EU. The mob says that they need to sanction Russia, but what is Russian guilty of? Nothing. The fact is that the current strife in Ukraine was born of a pre-existing hostility to Russia that also had nothing to do with actual offenses by the Russians. The EU has a reactionary attitude towards the Russians and Serbian membership could go a long to tempering that.
(Paul, 31 July 2014 22:39)
As usual, the leadership of Serbia is underestimating the intelligence of the key members of the EU. It is understandable since Serb politicians have been able to deceive the Serbian public for so long that they believe everyone is as backward and naive as the average Serb. Serbia will end up getting politically burned in the end as so often has been the case in the past. It is crucial for Serbia to have world class politicians if she expects to successfully meet the challenges of dealing with professional career politicians representing the EU. As it stands now, Serb leaders are perceived as odious country bumpkins that must be tolerated. Sophisticated European leaders have nothing but contempt for poor hopeless Serbian political hacks. It is no wonder that Serbs feel most comfortable with their Russian counterparts.
(The Count of Kosova, 31 July 2014 22:26)
This story is published here every second day with the words moved around a little bit. It sounds like a government press release not news.
Serbia wants to be friendly with EU and Russia but someone thinks EU should be favoured, someone else thinks Russia should be favoured. Most important of all is that Serbian politicians are fabulous.
Its international politics, we get it, change the record
(Dwight, 31 July 2014 16:10)
This situation where you are being asked by the masters of the puppets to be as bush said "with us or against us" is where the problem is...In the past it did not have to be that way,in the days of non-alignements...this seems worst than the cold war.
(Vlad, 31 July 2014 15:15)
Just that, acting is all it is! We pretty much already know, in which direction Serbia is full heartedly leaning towards!!!
(Rocky, 31 July 2014 13:07)
As usual, the leadership of Serbia is underestimating the intelligence of the key members of the EU. It is understandable since Serb politicians have been able to deceive the Serbian public for so long that they believe everyone is as backward and naive as the average Serb. Serbia will end up getting politically burned in the end as so often has been the case in the past. It is crucial for Serbia to have world class politicians if she expects to successfully meet the challenges of dealing with professional career politicians representing the EU. As it stands now, Serb leaders are perceived as odious country bumpkins that must be tolerated. Sophisticated European leaders have nothing but contempt for poor hopeless Serbian political hacks. It is no wonder that Serbs feel most comfortable with their Russian counterparts.
(The Count of Kosova, 31 July 2014 22:26)
Just that, acting is all it is! We pretty much already know, in which direction Serbia is full heartedly leaning towards!!!
(Rocky, 31 July 2014 13:07)
This situation where you are being asked by the masters of the puppets to be as bush said "with us or against us" is where the problem is...In the past it did not have to be that way,in the days of non-alignements...this seems worst than the cold war.
(Vlad, 31 July 2014 15:15)
This story is published here every second day with the words moved around a little bit. It sounds like a government press release not news.
Serbia wants to be friendly with EU and Russia but someone thinks EU should be favoured, someone else thinks Russia should be favoured. Most important of all is that Serbian politicians are fabulous.
Its international politics, we get it, change the record
(Dwight, 31 July 2014 16:10)
Here Serbia is exhibiting potential leadership in the EU. The mob says that they need to sanction Russia, but what is Russian guilty of? Nothing. The fact is that the current strife in Ukraine was born of a pre-existing hostility to Russia that also had nothing to do with actual offenses by the Russians. The EU has a reactionary attitude towards the Russians and Serbian membership could go a long to tempering that.
(Paul, 31 July 2014 22:39)
Here Serbia is exhibiting potential leadership in the EU. The mob says that they need to sanction Russia, but what is Russian guilty of?
(Paul, 31 July 2014 22:39)
Russia is guilty of violating the principles that Serbia has been screaming about for years... If I were to take at face value what Serbia and the most patriotic of Serbs have been saying for years, Serbia would be among the first countries to sanction Russia.
(icj1, 3 August 2014 15:40)
Hey Count how's about taking that "o" out of your title. That would be much more appropriate description of your standing within the aristocracy of political commentators!!
(Viscount Duke of Baron, 31 July 2014 23:29)
Here Serbia is exhibiting potential leadership in the EU. The mob says that they need to sanction Russia, but what is Russian guilty of?
(Paul, 31 July 2014 22:39)
Quoting Vladimir Putin:
"There are both things in international law: the principle of territorial integrity and right to self-determination."
"We keep hearing from the United States and Western Europe that Kosovo is some special case. What makes it so special in the eyes of our colleagues? It turns out that it is the fact that the conflict in Kosovo resulted in so many human casualties. Is this a legal argument? The ruling of the International Court says nothing about this. This is not even double standards; this is amazing, primitive, blunt cynicism. One should not try so crudely to make everything suit their interests, calling the same thing white today and black tomorrow. According to this logic, we have to make sure every conflict leads to human losses.”
"4. “For some reason, things that Kosovo Albanians (and we have full respect for them) were permitted to do, Russians, Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars in Crimea are not allowed."
"
Any people has a right to self-determination, and now in Europe the process of diluting national sovereignty in the framework of a united Europe is more accepted.
Vladimir Putin"
As a k-albanian, I say, thank you russia for the kind words.
(Peace, 11 August 2014 07:39)
Here Serbia is exhibiting potential leadership in the EU. The mob says that they need to sanction Russia, but what is Russian guilty of? Nothing. The fact is that the current strife in Ukraine was born of a pre-existing hostility to Russia that also had nothing to do with actual offenses by the Russians. The EU has a reactionary attitude towards the Russians and Serbian membership could go a long to tempering that.
(Paul, 31 July 2014 22:39)
Hey Count how's about taking that "o" out of your title. That would be much more appropriate description of your standing within the aristocracy of political commentators!!
(Viscount Duke of Baron, 31 July 2014 23:29)
This situation where you are being asked by the masters of the puppets to be as bush said "with us or against us" is where the problem is...In the past it did not have to be that way,in the days of non-alignements...this seems worst than the cold war.
(Vlad, 31 July 2014 15:15)
Just that, acting is all it is! We pretty much already know, in which direction Serbia is full heartedly leaning towards!!!
(Rocky, 31 July 2014 13:07)
As usual, the leadership of Serbia is underestimating the intelligence of the key members of the EU. It is understandable since Serb politicians have been able to deceive the Serbian public for so long that they believe everyone is as backward and naive as the average Serb. Serbia will end up getting politically burned in the end as so often has been the case in the past. It is crucial for Serbia to have world class politicians if she expects to successfully meet the challenges of dealing with professional career politicians representing the EU. As it stands now, Serb leaders are perceived as odious country bumpkins that must be tolerated. Sophisticated European leaders have nothing but contempt for poor hopeless Serbian political hacks. It is no wonder that Serbs feel most comfortable with their Russian counterparts.
(The Count of Kosova, 31 July 2014 22:26)
Here Serbia is exhibiting potential leadership in the EU. The mob says that they need to sanction Russia, but what is Russian guilty of?
(Paul, 31 July 2014 22:39)
Quoting Vladimir Putin:
"There are both things in international law: the principle of territorial integrity and right to self-determination."
"We keep hearing from the United States and Western Europe that Kosovo is some special case. What makes it so special in the eyes of our colleagues? It turns out that it is the fact that the conflict in Kosovo resulted in so many human casualties. Is this a legal argument? The ruling of the International Court says nothing about this. This is not even double standards; this is amazing, primitive, blunt cynicism. One should not try so crudely to make everything suit their interests, calling the same thing white today and black tomorrow. According to this logic, we have to make sure every conflict leads to human losses.”
"4. “For some reason, things that Kosovo Albanians (and we have full respect for them) were permitted to do, Russians, Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars in Crimea are not allowed."
"
Any people has a right to self-determination, and now in Europe the process of diluting national sovereignty in the framework of a united Europe is more accepted.
Vladimir Putin"
As a k-albanian, I say, thank you russia for the kind words.
(Peace, 11 August 2014 07:39)
This story is published here every second day with the words moved around a little bit. It sounds like a government press release not news.
Serbia wants to be friendly with EU and Russia but someone thinks EU should be favoured, someone else thinks Russia should be favoured. Most important of all is that Serbian politicians are fabulous.
Its international politics, we get it, change the record
(Dwight, 31 July 2014 16:10)
Here Serbia is exhibiting potential leadership in the EU. The mob says that they need to sanction Russia, but what is Russian guilty of?
(Paul, 31 July 2014 22:39)
Russia is guilty of violating the principles that Serbia has been screaming about for years... If I were to take at face value what Serbia and the most patriotic of Serbs have been saying for years, Serbia would be among the first countries to sanction Russia.
(icj1, 3 August 2014 15:40)