Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has criticized the lack of response from the US and EU to the scandalous and alarming remarks made by Albin Kurti, the ethnic Albanian leader of Kosovo, about Serbs. Vucic expressed his concern that if he had made similar statements about Albanians, he would have faced severe consequences from the West.
Speaking to reporters in Nis, Vucic stated, “Imagine I said somewhere that ‘Albanians have to suffer and pay’. Can you imagine how the world would react? What worries me is that no one seems to have noticed what Kurti said, or they’re playing stupid. Had I said what he said in Brussels, I’d have been hanged in both Berlin and Washington. But such are the double standards and hypocrisy we have to deal with.”
Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence, considering the breakaway province, which has been under NATO control since 1999, as its sovereign territory, protected by UN Security Council Resolution 1244. The EU has been pushing for the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina. However, the recent talks between Vucic and Kurti in Brussels ended without agreement. The EU stated that Vucic was ready to accept the bloc’s demands, but Kurti refused.
After the meeting, Kurti made controversial statements accusing the Serbs in the north of Kosovo of working as agents of Vucic and attempting to undermine “our state.” Vucic emphasized the double standards, stating that if such comments had come from Serbia, the EU and the US would have instantly condemned them. Instead, the US announced a $34.7 million grant to “advance Kosovo’s democratic and economic development.”
Vucic also criticized German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for comparing Germany’s involvement in the 1999 NATO war over Kosovo to its current role in Ukraine. He described Scholz’s comments as lacking principles and logic.
The Serbian president’s remarks came during his visit to Nis, where he was celebrating a newly established Serbian national holiday commemorating the 1918 victory over the Central Powers that led to the country’s liberation in the First World War. The press conference took place at a military exhibit showcasing the latest weapons and armor of the Serbian armed forces.
Vucic’s comments highlight the perceived bias and indifference of the US and EU towards provocative statements made by Albanian leaders in Kosovo. He believes that if the same remarks were made by Serbs, they would face severe repercussions. This raises concerns about the fairness and objectivity of international responses to regional conflicts and the need for consistent standards in addressing inflammatory rhetoric.
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