Vučić in Tivat: "People in Montenegro are our sisters and brothers"; "I don't interfere in Podgorica's policy"

Commenting on remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron, who stopped upon arriving at the summit in Tivat and told Serbian journalists that he had spoken with Vučić and that the Serbian president is doing excellent things for his country, Vučić said that the French president is a “better politician.”

“Macron is a better politician than me. He is the representative of a great country and he does that much better than I do,” Vučić said.

During the Serbian president’s media address, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš passed by and warmly and smilingly approached Vučić, greeting him and asking when Serbia would join the EU.

Responding to journalists’ remarks that he had received an order from Xi Jinping and that the American president had mentioned him many times, and a question whether this represents the “isolationist policy” critics talk about, Vučić said that he is working and will continue to work.

“For me, the most important thing is always how to attract investments, how to fight for the interests of the citizens of Serbia, so that people can see that we are working in their interest and that we are working well,” he added.

“In Montenegro, they are our sisters and brothers…”

Vučić stressed that the people in Montenegro are “our sisters and brothers,” adding that he had spoken with security structures and wanted to send a message that citizens of Montenegro are welcome in Serbia.

Commenting on an incident at Tivat airport, where Serbian citizens were reportedly returned, he said:

“And here, when they ran a campaign against those guys, those same guys didn’t bother them when they came to help put out fires. Those very same guys helped them in the Tivat municipality in extinguishing fires in Luštica. Back then, they were wonderful guys.”

“And what some tried to do to us, to raise their own importance, says more about them than about us,” he said, adding that he received many messages from Serbs in Montenegro.

Regarding the recognition of the so-called Kosovo by Montenegro, Vučić said that it was not easy for Serbia, but that it respected that decision. He also said he will not interfere in Montenegro’s internal political affairs, as it is not his role.

“Serbia is ready…”

Asked by foreign media what he expects from the EU–Western Balkans summit and whether Serbia is ready to move closer to the EU, Vučić said he believes this will be one of the most important recent summits.

“I have already had very good talks with EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen, António Costa, Friedrich Merz, and Emmanuel Macron. I also believe we will see major progress for the countries of the Western Balkans in the future. Of course, we still need to do many reforms. But in the end, there were no lectures or preaching from anyone. We were treated with genuine respect, and that is something we highly value,” he said.

Asked whether Serbia will feel closer to the EU than to Russia, Vučić replied: “We are on our path toward the EU. That is all I can say. That is our strategic goal.”

“I lead a sovereign, independent and freedom-loving nation”

Asked about security concerns, Vučić said he feels like a free man leading a free and sovereign people and country.

“As I told them, it is always about having a free spirit. I feel like a very free man, which means I lead a sovereign, independent and freedom-loving people and country,” he said.

He added that he is “the freest in the world” because he represents a free, sovereign and independent country.

Asked whether he feels safe, he said a person is as safe and free as their spirit is free, stressing that his spirit is “the freest.”

“No one in the world sends me an email and says: ‘This is your policy.’ I make decisions myself within my powers, I represent a free, sovereign and independent country, which means I am the freest in the world,” the president concluded.