Serb MP's "astonishing pro-Russia speech" at NATO Assembly

Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti is reporting this on Tuesday, adding that this occurred after Jovanovic spoke about "Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin."

Head of Serbia's delegation to the NATO Assembly, Dragan Sormaz from the ruling SNS, who also took part in the meeting, told the newspaper that Jovanovic's address was "unpolitical and not statesmanlike."

Sormaz said Jovanovic told the gathering that she "adores Putin and supports his policy," which, according to him, "caused astonishment among a majority of those present."

"She said incredible things, that they should be careful about what they're doing, not to cross the red line because Putin would respond, and then they'll regret it. That she supports everything Putin is doing, and I'm convinced that she doesn't know what he's doing," said Sormaz.

According to him, it was an incident, while "it wouldn't be good if she had said all that even in the Serbian Assembly, because she is not a Russian deputy in the Duma."

"She caused great bewilderment among those present. A debate developed, so others responded to her that Putin had crossed the red line a long time ago when Russian troops burst into Ukraine, Georgia...," said Sormaz.

He also "explained that the meeting discussed Ukraine, Syria, and Georgia," and that "deputies in that body cannot be expected to deliver positive speeches about Russia."

Jovanovic also spoke for Vecernje Novosti to say that she asked to address the meeting because the US and the UK had created "anti-Russian hysteria" - and there was nobody from Russia to respond to them.

Jovanovic added that she defends Putin and Russia, because they "defend us in every place where others are attacking us."

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