Vučić at the UN General Assembly: Serbia is a free and independent country; We'll continue to fight for peace

"Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great honor for me to be able to address the jubilee session on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the United Nations on behalf of the Republic of Serbia, a founding member of the United Nations and a country that respects freedom and is proud of its history.

This year we are celebrating eight decades of existence of the world organization. In that period, the United Nations was a framework for dialogue, cooperation and solidarity among nations, without which it would not have been possible to respond to the challenges of today. Only with a joint effort can we create a future that will be dignified and safe.

That brings me, ladies and gentlemen, to the five basic principles that guide Serbia and its united political vision and represent pillars in its international actions. Number one, the United Nations is no relic of the past, but a compass of the future. For 80 years already, or after 80 years, this is a time for both reflection and honesty. This must not be a scene where the giants fight, while the small countries being kept out of it. It must be a round table, where everyone has voice and the right to speak.

Countries like us, from the Global South, are often treated as pieces on a chessboard and it is time to show that we can be innovators and guarantors of cooperation. We may not have the loudest voice, but we often have the clearest vision, because we see east and west at the same time. Our engagement with all partners does not mean blind compliance, it means respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the belief that dialogue is stronger than division. Serbia is a reliable and predictable partner, but reciprocity is important. We will defend our autonomy, just as we defend cooperation. The Charter of the United Nations was not written to serve a moment in history, but to stand the test of time."

"The world is faced with great geopolitical divisions and the charter of nations is the only framework that can hold us together. Serbia is not a buffer zone, but a bridge, and bridges do not divide, but connect. Just as well, as the president of Serbia, for the first time I would like to offer Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, as a place of dialogue for all conflicts around the world. I believe that we will offer the best possible hospitality and absolute security for the participants."

On the conflicts in the world 

"The world is facing the deadliest wave of violence since the Second World War. The largest number of conflicts have broken out in the last seven decades. The spread of misinformation, especially through digital platforms, has caused mistrust between countries, affected elections, trade negotiations and public sentiment. Serbia believes in pragmatic cooperation, finding common ground, even though there are disagreements.

Vučić pointed out that people all over the world are dissatisfied with both countries and the economy, they want a better future for themselves and their families.

"The best way to do this is through cooperation between nations. We live in times of the most severe conflicts and the deepest divisions between countries, continents and regions since the founding of the UN. It is particularly worrying that, due to various factors, we have the deepest and most severe divisions within each society, where most often extremely violent and brutal consequences occur due to misunderstanding, due to non-communication in relation to what was once considered elementary, quite simple behavior both in relations between peoples and in relations between the states. The world is divided, believe it or not."

"The majority of society feels the need to pay respect to the deceased, even if they did not consider that person worthy of it. Today we have unprecedented phenomena. A kind of sick joy over a crime against an innocent man. The example of Charlie Kirk confirms this. He was brutally killed only because his killer did not like his ideas. He was killed by the same people who prepared the political and media ground for his murder.

Don't be surprised that I'm talking about it, about world conflicts in general, because just such an event destroys the world political community much worse than conflicts with clear and visible actors. In the age of social networks and freedom, we have reached the point of the greatest unfreedoms and the unequivocal stifling of the freedom of others. How is it possible that, say, ABC television has a higher viewership than, for example, the assassination attempts on President Trump? Who are these rulers from shadows who influence key political movements and who want to rule the world and every country? They govern all of us because they are God-given, as they say, the elite, not the people. These are terribly dangerous things."

"It's popular to be against the government"

He added that Israel and Palestine were mostly discussed during the session, but since both are friends of Serbia, it is not easy to talk about it. He referred to the pro-Palestinian protests in Italy.

"But let's recall the very beginning of the part of my speech. Big pro-Palestinian demonstrations were held in Italy at the weekend. People shouted 'Gaza, Gaza', but in Milan some of them didn't even think about Gaza. The only thing they wanted was to burn and demolish what the Italians themselves have built for centuries, because it is popular to be against the government and to participate in some kind of violence. We all wonder what the next phase will be and what the future holds for us.

In recent months, there have been attacks, protests, and attacks on the constitutional order in Serbia. Despite the violence of the demonstrators, we tried to somehow accept the responsibility and guilt of me personally and of us who lead the country. I wanted to listen and understand the message of the people on the streets and for that reason, as here, I believe that dialogue between countries and peoples has no alternative.

I offer dialogue and unconditional conversations on every possible topic that is important for our society, for those who think differently, and I am sure that in the coming period we will overcome all the difficulties of the past months. "Progress regarding global challenges is uneven, the financial situation is getting worse, smaller countries do not really have access to mechanisms and support that are available to large countries," said Vučić.

On the situation on Kosovo and Metohija

"We are a country where East and West meet. We will continue to work on these foundations. I use this opportunity to point out that we will never forget our history: Kosovo and Metohija are an inseparable part of Serbia. For us Serbs, it is not just a territory but the cradle of our spirituality. Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija are often discriminated against, which makes life difficult for them. They live in isolation, depraved of basic food and medicine, disagreements prevail, children grow up in uncertainty and fear, their situation is not only local, but touches the conscience of the entire international community and is a test of readiness to help the helpless. The goal is to force the Serbs to flee from Kosovo," said Vučić, after which he called on the international community to take concrete steps to resolve the situation in Kosovo and Metohija. He recalled the obligation to comply with Security Council Resolution 1244.

He added that the campaign against Serbia and Republika Srpska has been going on for 30 years.

"Serbia is a free, sovereign and independent country that makes decisions independently and is on the European path.

Just as in the past, my country will continue to fight for peace, patiently, methodically and in good faith. Number three. The Balkans must not be a playground for the ambitions of others, but for the sharing of responsibilities. Thirty years after the war, stability became the highest value. The peoples of the Balkans deserve the right to shape their future without international interference, with respect and cooperation, dialogue, mutual trust are the main levers of international relations in the region.

We believe that our region should look to the future, to continue working for the benefit of all citizens and economic ties. To paraphrase Indira Gandhi, she said you cannot shake hands with a clenched fist, Serbia offers its hand and is committed to stability and security to all those who have a vision of a common European future.

The stability of our region is extremely important for us, as a guarantor of the Dayton Agreement we signed, we will always work towards its full implementation, respect for the rights of all three constituent peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina — Serbs, Bosniaks and Croats. Unilateral acts and abuse of authority are contrary to the Dayton Agreement and do not lead to peace, but to tensions. Only with the agreement of the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the entities can the stability and functionality of that country be guaranteed. Without dialogue and unilateral initiatives to which not all interested parties agreed, especially initiatives used by international organizations, they are a step back in the direction of new divisions. Serbia will use all diplomatic means to prevent these activities, because they undermine regional dialogue, the process of reconciliation and understanding. We will not slander but promote regional stability to contribute to global security.

In this institution and everywhere else, a false campaign is being waged against the Republic of Serbia and the Republika Srpska, entities in Bosnia. All over the world, countless times, we have heard it said from well-informed sources, it is only a matter of time before Serbia attacks a region, it is only a matter of days, just like for Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina. And all that time, of course, it was a lie, a beautiful curtain which should enable the international representatives elected by the people to work with the legitimate representatives of the Serbian people, i.e. one of the three constituent peoples, by introducing sanctions against them, removing them from the place where the people elected them and conducting criminal proceedings and imposing penalties for verbal offenses.

You are all witnesses to the fact that for three and a half years since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, we have been hearing stories that we, as an alleged Russian puppet, will now attack some region. Of course, that didn't happen and it won't. The only thing we've never heard is an apology from those who spread such lies, and we certainly won't get one. To repeat, Serbia is a free, independent and sovereign country that makes its own decisions independently. We are committed to the European path, we are not planning to attack anyone, we will also not allow anyone to threaten our country's freedom," the president said.

After President Vučić, the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, the President of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and the President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, will speak.

Each leader has up to 15 minutes to speak, and most use it as a way to get their agendas, appeals, and calls to action out to the world.

This annual event, which takes place for more than six days, is an opportunity for world leaders to come together and discuss current global issues.