Vucic: European Commission Did Not Offer Financial Aid, But Favorable Loans Serbia Does Not Need

Aleksandar Vucic (Beta/Serbian Presidency/Dimitrije Goll)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on April 23, responding to the opposition’s criticism, that the European Commission did not offer Serbia financial aid but favorable loans intended for countries with balance of payments difficulties, which, according to him, Serbia does not have.

Earlier the same day, the Party of Freedom and Justice condemned the Serbian authorities’ decision to decline the European Commission’s aid, worth hundreds of millions of Euros, and accused the government of borrowing from "the sheikhs" because nobody oversees the spending of that money, which is not the case with the EU funds.

"This is the best example of ignorance. And not only of ignorance, but of ill intentions with some, and the desire of some others to ingratiate themselves with certain people so as to turn them against Serbia’s government bodies", Vucic said following a visit to a new medical facility in the Belgrade district of Karaburma.

The president also said that he is glad Serbia is not on the same list as Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tunisia, Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia. “Why take 600 or 700 million more than we need? We already took EUR200 million. We declined EUR1.2 billion from the International Monetary Fund, and I’m proud we did,” Vucic said.

When asked when the elections, postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be held, Vucic said it is not something he wants to deal with at the moment, adding that he does not know.

"Some people (the opposition) say I keep postponing the elections because I fear an election fiasco, and others say I’m rushing them because I want to ride the coronavirus wave. Come on, folks, make up your minds", Vucic added.