Vucic: U.S. Has Opened Door to Us, Will Take Part in Many Projects

Aleksandar Vucic (FOTOBETA/Milan Obradovic)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has said in Belgrade that for 30 years the White House "wasn't open to Serbs," but that now, during his visit there last week, the U.S. had "for the first time distinguished Serbia as an important partner and given it respect."

Speaking about negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina in Washington, Vucic told the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation on Sept. 10 that for 30 years the White House had been "reserved for Albanians and others who were against Serbs."

"This time, we managed to change that and make room for tenfold, a hundredfold higher American investments in Serbia. Now America has opened the door to us and will take part in a number of projects," Vucic said.

In the same interview, he added that both the president and the foreign minister of Russia had apologized to him over a statement made by Maria Zaharova, spokeswoman at the Russian Foreign Ministry. Vucic said Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had "never apologized to him before for anything, and now both of them."

Vucic further stated that Belgrade would try to build good relations with Montenegro and that Podgorica would always find "a friend and an open door" in Belgrade. He went on to say that the new cabinet of Serbia would be formed by the end of September, within the constitutional deadline, and that the parliament speaker would be appointed first.

A large group of citizens protested in front of the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation while Vucic was there to express their dissatisfaction with his policies.