Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic stated in Moscow that Serbia will never recognize Kosovo, even if this means not joining the EU as a consequence. “Serbia has ongoing negotiations with the EU and with Pristina and is making efforts for all in Kosovo to live in better conditions, and we have Russia’s support for this. We will never recognize the independence of Kosovo, even if this prevents us from joining the EU”, responded Nikolic in an interview with Russia 24 on the question of whether Serbia’s joining the EU would mean rejecting the possibility of a return of Kosovo.
According to him, the majority of the population support joining the EU. Nikolic also said that people are ‘wise’ and wish to preserve relations with Russia, whereas at the same time they want better a life in the frame of the EU. “While doing so, we will never recognize the independence of Kosovo and Metohija. In the row between Russia and EU, the ones who are suffering are Russia, the EU and Serbia. The EU wants to pull us on its side, but we are not giving in, we are cooperating with both, Russia and the EU, and when they set conditions for us we start to get suspicious as to whether they wish us well”. He also voiced hope that disputes between EU and Russia will soon be settled.
