Russian Ambassador: Vucic Possesses Evidence that the West is Behind Protests in Belgrade

Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC/MO)

The Russian ambassador to Serbia, Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko, said on Dec. 25 that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had informed him that the West was behind the ongoing protests in Belgrade, which the opposition had been promoting based on election fraud claims.

“The opposition launched protests, and they have been encouraged and supported from abroad. Vucic was talking about that, but I can’t disclose any details, as it’s classified information. Yet he possesses uncontestable evidence that the encouragement and support had come from the West,” the Russian diplomat said after a meeting with the Serbian president in Belgrade.

Botsan-Kharchenko also said that the protests in Serbia were conducted based on the principles and techniques of the Maidan uprising, and that the West “intends to bring the opposition to power,” but that “the Maidan-type goals and schemes will not succeed,” as such actions would be opposed to, the Russian state-owned agency RIA Novosti reported.

A spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affiars, Maria Zakharova, also said on Dec. 25 that it was “obvious” the West was trying to “shake up the situation” in Serbia using the same techniques that were used during the Maidan coup in Kyiv, adding that strict adherence to the letter and spirit of the Constitution of Serbia and respect for the choice of the people who had voted in favor of their national interests should be “the only possible reaction.”