Vucic apologizes to Slovenians but not to their politicians

“I said that the Slovenians were disgusting thinking of the Security Council session. That was the topic and it was clear to everyone that it referred to individuals and to their politics. Certainly, it's not the language one should use, but I simply expressed my opinion on their policy,” Vucic told reporters.

He added that he thinks very highly of the Slovenian people and that he has many friends and relatives in Slovenia.

“If I have offended anyone, I want to apologize to the entire Slovenian public, and at the same time, I want to say that I will not apologize to Slovenian politicians because they pursue a disgusting policy towards Serbia and the Serbian people,” said Vucic.

The Serbian President added that his statement was taken out of context and labeled as something “terrible,” but that violating Serbia's territorial integrity was not considered “terrible.”

“It is not terrible that they are sponsoring the resolution on Srebrenica against our people without previously consulting us, informing us, asking us. I also take this opportunity to invite (Slovenian Prime Minister) Robert Golob and President (Natasa) Pirc Musar to Belgrade and Serbia. I certainly need to apologize once more, to say that I was not referring to Slovenians, but also to tell them to their faces what I think of their bad policy towards Serbia and the Serbian people,” said Vucic.

Dacic: Charge d'affaires rejected Slovenia’s allegations

Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Wednesday Serbia's charge d'affaires in Ljubljana has rejected Slovenian Foreign Ministry’s allegations about a statement by Serbian President Vucic over which the diplomat had been summoned by the Ministry.

Dacic said in a written statement that the Slovenian Ministry’s actions are an inversion of reality because, instead of apologizing to Serbia for violating its territorial integrity by recognizing Kosovo and for the fact that the UN Security Council violated all rules of session attendance by allowing (Kosovo President) Vjosa Osmani to bring alleged victims, without informing Serbia of that - which has never before happened at the UN - Slovenian officials want an apology because Vucic expressed embitterment over such a move, which was evidently arranged beforehand.

He said Serbia had supported Slovenia's election to the UN SC, while such moves by Ljubljana in international organizations erode Serbian-Slovenian bilateral relations.

“It is unfair to shift the responsibility to Serbia, which is just reacting to Slovenia's actions,” Dacic said.

Women who Osmani claimed were victims of Serbian crimes sat behind the Kosovo President at the UN Security Council session in New York on the six-monthly report on the work of UNMIK.

Serbian President Vucic protested this to session chair Vanessa Frazier, saying that this was the first time something like this happened at the UN SC. Frazier replied that the composition of delegations is a matter of protocol.

“This is the first time something like this has happened at the UN Security Council. You have brought people who do not belong here, neither to the diplomatic corps nor to Mrs Osmani's advisory team. This is a kind of political theater and a setup against the Serbian delegation,” said Vucic.

Vucic said on Tuesday that Serbia had fallen into a trap set by the US, Switzerland and Slovenia.

“When the start of the Security Council session was delayed I asked what that was about, but then we realized that they had agreed that with the Americans, Slovenians and Swiss. You don't know who's more disgusting – the Slovenians or someone else,” said Vucic.

The start of the UN Security Council session was delayed because the Pristina delegation was held up at the entrance due to UN procedures.

A few minutes later, having checked the information that she had received, Frazier, who is the Maltese Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said it was a matter of UN protocol due to which some participants were held back at the entrance.

The UN protocol did not allow the entire Kosovo delegation to enter the building, and we have to wait for them to continue the session, said Frazier.