Serbian Leader Rages About ‘Hysteria’ After Russian Minister’s Visit Blocked

Aleksandar Vucic told state broadcaster Radio-Television Serbia on Monday evening that he has never seen so much hysteria against Serbia as was caused by the announcement that Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would be visiting Belgrade.

The visit was eventually cancelled after Montenegro, North Macedonia and Bulgaria, who all back EU sanctions against Russia over the invasion of Ukraine, closed their airspace to block Lavrov's flight.

"Of course one has to express one's dissatisfaction. First of all, I haven't seen the kind of hysteria for a long time that little Serbia has been exposed to in Europe and around the world due to the arrival of Lavrov. You can't believe how much pressure there was on Serbia because of that visit," Vucic told RTS.

He accused the EU of hypocrisy over non-cooperation with Russia, because Lavrov will soon be visiting NATO member Turkey.

"And let me ask - how is Vucic a bigger villain? Do you want to say that to Turkey tomorrow because Lavrov is going to Ankara? Do you want to expel it from NATO? It seems that you can only be like that towards little Serbia," he said.

He complained that Serbia is being condemned for not observing EU sanctions while countries like Germany are still buying Russian gas.

"And what did Serbia do wrong? Who did we do something bad to, or is it just our refusal to be part of the pack that is causing someone a headache?" he asked.

However, in the same interview, the Serbian president restated that his country's goal is to join the EU.

"Serbia must hurry up on its European path because it is the best for Serbia," he emphasised.

North Macedonia, Montenegro and Bulgaria, all NATO countries and Serbia's immediate neighbours, closed their airspace...