Serbia calls EU pressure to join Russia sanctions 'unacceptable'
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 20 October 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Serbia calls EU pressure to join Russia sanctions 'unacceptable', 20 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5975a13113.html [accessed 5 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
October 20, 2016
Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said European Union pressure on Belgrade to join sanctions against Russia was "absolutely unacceptable."
Serbia's top diplomat has complained that the European Union is putting "unacceptable" pressure on the Balkan country to impose sanctions against Russia.
Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on October 19 that "pressures on Serbia to, diplomatically speaking, align its foreign policy with the EU . . . to impose sanctions against Russia, are absolutely unacceptable."
An EU foreign-policy report earlier in the week said Brussels "will continue to call on Serbia to progressively align with the EU" on foreign policy.
Although Serbia has opened negotiations to join the EU, it remains Moscow's closest ally in the Balkans and has refused to join sanctions against Russia over its aggression in Ukraine.
"Serbia wants to join EU, but it will never do anything against its national interests . . . . We want good relations with everyone but we should not work against our own" interest, Dacic said.
Officials also said Serbia will join Russia in sending humanitarian aid to Syria, and the aid will be sent by Russian planes from a Russian-Serbian humanitarian center in the southern Serbian city of Nis.
Based on reporting by AP and AFP
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
