Opposition Movement: Serbian Government Needs To Introduce Sanctions Against Russia Also For the Sake of Dialogue with Pristina

The European Path - Basta movement

The European Path - Basta movement called on the Serbian Cabinet on Sept. 7 to introduce sanctions against Russia over its aggression against Ukraine and thereby improve Belgrade's position on Kosovo.

President of the movement Rade Basta called for "urgent sanctions against Russia" saying that "the Pristina leadership is making maximum use of the room for manipulation" and that this room was given to it by Serbia by refusing to introduce sanctions against Russia for is aggression against Ukraine.

"Our Western partners, especially the U.S. and EU, in which we are seeking membership, have made it clear that we need to distance ourselves from Russia," he said.

He added that "they made it clear" that Belgrade needed to introduce sanctions against Russia so that the citizens of Serbia could feel progress and so that there was more understanding for Belgrade's position in talks with Kosovo. "And now, when we do not know which way to go, (Kosovo Premier Albin) Kurti is using the opportunity in talks too with numerous diplomats to explain that Serbia is Russia's representative in the Balkans and that it is undermining the process of normalizing ties between Belgrade and Pristina," he said.