Vucic to US website ‘Coronavirus Diplomacy’ Won’t Change Serbia's EU path'

ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP

In an author's piece for 'US News and World Report' website, Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic wrote that "despite accepting aid from China to fight the coronavirus, his country is committed to a pro-Western foreign policy."

„While Serbia is grateful to all the countries that have helped us manage the consequences of coronavirus, these acts of support and humanitarianism will not affect its overall trajectory. To the delight of some and disappointment of others, Serbia’s strategic objective was, is and will remain full membership in the EU and to become an even more dynamic stakeholder in the community of European nations,“ Vucic wrote.

He added that „since the coronavirus pandemic was declared, China, Europe and the United States have provided assistance to many countries around the world as part of their ‘coronavirus diplomacy’,“ Vucic wrote, adding that „some of these countries, such as Serbia have been unfairly questioned over their willingness to request and receive support from a variety of partners.“

He wrote that in mid-March, the European Union „abruptly put in place obstacles to the export of certain medical equipment to non-EU countries,“ and that at the same time, China began to offer Serbia these critical supplies and other forms of coronavirus assistance… Indeed, Serbia welcomed this support.“

„While Brussels, unfortunately, maintained hurdles to the export of medical supplies to Serbia and our neighbours in the Western Balkans, the EU is now providing valuable support to Serbia and the region. It stands at $ 41 million in immediate assistance for the Western Balkans to tackle the health emergency and the reallocation of $406 million to mitigate the economic fallout of coronavirus, including $85 million for Serbia alone,“ Vucic wrote, adding that „in financial terms, the EU is the single largest donor to Serbia’s anti-coronavirus efforts since the pandemic was declared.“

„But,“ he added „Brussels has been helping Serbia prepare for coronavirus even before the global spread of the COVID-19 disease. During the past 20 years, the EU provided more than $490 million in grants and loans to Serbia’s health system, which includes the delivery of over 250 emergency medical vehicles, half of which possess life-saving ventilators.“

Vucic wrote that the US provided over a Million Dollars in the past 20 years, and recently „our American friends delivered 6,000 coronavirus tests to Serbia. We value this support, especially bearing in mind the immense coronavirus challenges that the United States itself is facing.“