Vucic: Serbia Cannot Allow Kosovo to Become Member of U.N.

Aleksandar Vucic/BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Oct. 8 that Serbia could not allow Kosovo to become a member of the United Nations per a proposal from Germany and France, and that there would be  consequences.

In an address to the nation, Vucic chose the situation in Kosovo as his first topic, stressing that the proposal from the two great powers, Germany and France, "must be discussed" as it would be irresponsible to "throw it out the window."

He said the paper boiled down to Serbia allowing Kosovo to join all international institutions including the U.N., "and for this Serbia will, although it isn't specified, get speedy entry into the EU and probably considerable economic benefits." Vucic added that the bureau of the Committee of Ministers would pass a decision on launching Council of Europe admission procedure for Kosovo in early November, and that this was another way to pressure Serbia.

In the same address, Vucic said Serbia would not be introducing sanctions against Russia for now, as long as the damage to Serbia is not too great. He said that whatever one may think about the EU's policy on Kosovo and Metohija and about Europe considering Ukraine's sovereignty sacrosanct and Serbia's territorial integrity valid but without Kosovo, Serbia will continue its bid to join the 27-nation bloc.